The Industrial Revolution was one of the final movements for the West in the making of modernity. In the same vein as the Scientific Revolution did in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, this revolution would likewise see a shift in the social and cultural realms across Europe. The process began in England around 1750 and slowly drifted into the continent. Through private ownership, industrialization grew out of capital accumulated from trade and agriculture. In Western Europe the concept of private property had been important since the Middle Ages, and as we have seen in previous units, it was basic to personal and political liberties.
For myriad reasons, the Industrial Revolution began in England. In many ways, it was the political liberties established in England that made the process of industrialization ripe on the British Isle. Before the Industrial Revolution had come the Agricultural Revolution, which saw the development of Enclosure Acts. These acts gave rights to property owners to enclose common lands, build crop rotation, and overall make farming more profitable. English agriculture provided more than twice the yields of continental farming, as a result of this process. In time, however, less land was available to rent in England, which saw the rise of rents and by the eighteenth century common lands began to disappear. These conditions created a mobile work force -- people who worked for wages on the big farms or moved to the towns for jobs in the newly established mills, especially in Northern England. At the same time, the owners of production accumulated large profits that they could use for investment.
By the middle of the eighteenth century, England also had the largest merchant marine in the world, which provided access to markets everywhere. During the Middle Ages, the staple of English manufacturing had been woolen cloth, so the process of mercantilism was already rooted in English culture. To that end, when cotton, a seemingly more comfortable and elegant fabric, came about the English jumped at the opportunity to improve the textile industry. The problem with cotton, however, was the production--it was costly and took a long time to produce. English Wool came from English sheep and it was easy to get the product. Cotton, on the other hand, had to be important and the process of spinning cotton threads were tedious. That notwithstanding, the men of wealth from the agricultural and business were willing to invest in new ideas for better, quicker production, in hopes of still higher profits. Therefore, the first move towards industrialization and mechanization came in textile field.
The basic of all economic components is supply and demand, and as one can see the need for cotton was driven by the demand for the product. The process became easier as new inventions created opportunity to cut costs and yield higher profits. For example, in 1730 John Kay's fly shuttle allowed one person instead of two to operate a loom. Thirty years later James Hargreaves created the spinning jenny, which enabled spinning to keep up with weaving. A few years after this milestone, Richard Arkwright applied waterpower to the spinning process and suddenly textiles mills became replete in the English Countryside.
For myriad reasons, the Industrial Revolution began in England. In many ways, it was the political liberties established in England that made the process of industrialization ripe on the British Isle. Before the Industrial Revolution had come the Agricultural Revolution, which saw the development of Enclosure Acts. These acts gave rights to property owners to enclose common lands, build crop rotation, and overall make farming more profitable. English agriculture provided more than twice the yields of continental farming, as a result of this process. In time, however, less land was available to rent in England, which saw the rise of rents and by the eighteenth century common lands began to disappear. These conditions created a mobile work force -- people who worked for wages on the big farms or moved to the towns for jobs in the newly established mills, especially in Northern England. At the same time, the owners of production accumulated large profits that they could use for investment.
By the middle of the eighteenth century, England also had the largest merchant marine in the world, which provided access to markets everywhere. During the Middle Ages, the staple of English manufacturing had been woolen cloth, so the process of mercantilism was already rooted in English culture. To that end, when cotton, a seemingly more comfortable and elegant fabric, came about the English jumped at the opportunity to improve the textile industry. The problem with cotton, however, was the production--it was costly and took a long time to produce. English Wool came from English sheep and it was easy to get the product. Cotton, on the other hand, had to be important and the process of spinning cotton threads were tedious. That notwithstanding, the men of wealth from the agricultural and business were willing to invest in new ideas for better, quicker production, in hopes of still higher profits. Therefore, the first move towards industrialization and mechanization came in textile field.
The basic of all economic components is supply and demand, and as one can see the need for cotton was driven by the demand for the product. The process became easier as new inventions created opportunity to cut costs and yield higher profits. For example, in 1730 John Kay's fly shuttle allowed one person instead of two to operate a loom. Thirty years later James Hargreaves created the spinning jenny, which enabled spinning to keep up with weaving. A few years after this milestone, Richard Arkwright applied waterpower to the spinning process and suddenly textiles mills became replete in the English Countryside.
In tandem with the innovations to the textile industry was the development of the steam engine and building of railways. Thomas Newcomen was first in 1702 to produce a steam engine that was used to pump water out of coal mines. Later, James Watt (1763) applied Newcomen's process to improve the steam engine and use it for riverboats. In 1820, George Stephenson created the first successful locomotive steam engine called the "Rocket" and it travelled 16 m.p.h. As a result, England saw the birth of the railroad industry, and land transport was revolutionized.
The Industrial Revolution coupled with the political revolutions that swept across Europe in the last half of the eighteenth century into the nineteenth century transformed society and affected daily life. As noted above, the workforce dramatically changed as a result of this industry shift. The rise of a new workforce also altered politics, and due to continuous uncertainty and the threat of revolt, the process of reformation was demanded of the government. Beginning in 1832 this "reform" process began, when Parliament passed the "Great Reform Bill" which increased the electorate. From this time until the end of the nineteenth century, England will continue to pass acts and prevent and large-scale revolutions from developing.
The continent of Europe was quite a different story, however. While recovering from the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, continental Europe began to the process of industrialization. Beginning with Belgium in 1830 and spreading to Prussia and France the industrial revolution took effect replacing the old cottage industry. The continent, however, did not apply the same level of reform to the political structure, as we saw in England. As a result of growing nationalism and a reaction to the conservative Congress System, political revolt surmounted Europe. To that end, a cavalcade of revolutions swept through Europe greatly shifting the political balance and resulting in significant change.
As discussed in the lecture on "Coping with Change" most of these revolutions failed for a bevy of reasons. By 1850, one hundred years after the beginning of the industrialization process, Europe was left with a capitalistic economy and a reaffirmed conservative rule. For next week's class, pay attention to how nationalism and liberalism amalgamated with conservative leadership in order to build stronger Nation-States throughout Europe. In many ways, it was industrialization that led to this growing competition among these European States. Pay attention to how the second half of the nineteenth century blends the competitive markets of economics with that of politics.
The Industrial Revolution coupled with the political revolutions that swept across Europe in the last half of the eighteenth century into the nineteenth century transformed society and affected daily life. As noted above, the workforce dramatically changed as a result of this industry shift. The rise of a new workforce also altered politics, and due to continuous uncertainty and the threat of revolt, the process of reformation was demanded of the government. Beginning in 1832 this "reform" process began, when Parliament passed the "Great Reform Bill" which increased the electorate. From this time until the end of the nineteenth century, England will continue to pass acts and prevent and large-scale revolutions from developing.
The continent of Europe was quite a different story, however. While recovering from the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, continental Europe began to the process of industrialization. Beginning with Belgium in 1830 and spreading to Prussia and France the industrial revolution took effect replacing the old cottage industry. The continent, however, did not apply the same level of reform to the political structure, as we saw in England. As a result of growing nationalism and a reaction to the conservative Congress System, political revolt surmounted Europe. To that end, a cavalcade of revolutions swept through Europe greatly shifting the political balance and resulting in significant change.
As discussed in the lecture on "Coping with Change" most of these revolutions failed for a bevy of reasons. By 1850, one hundred years after the beginning of the industrialization process, Europe was left with a capitalistic economy and a reaffirmed conservative rule. For next week's class, pay attention to how nationalism and liberalism amalgamated with conservative leadership in order to build stronger Nation-States throughout Europe. In many ways, it was industrialization that led to this growing competition among these European States. Pay attention to how the second half of the nineteenth century blends the competitive markets of economics with that of politics.