Britain: First to Industrialize Political, economic, and social factors unique to Great Britain helped establish its industrial dominance in the early decades of the Industrial Revolution.

Political Factors Mercantilism Development of an empire Isolation from Continental problems Government provided financial awards to inventors Britain’s parliamentary government promoted commercial and industrial interests because those interest were represented in Parliament

Economic Factors Scientific agriculture Availability of raw materials Fewer farmers were needed to produce food for the population Larger labor supply was available for factory work Availability of raw materials Britain’s ready supplies of coal, iron ore, and other essential raw materials promoted industrial growth. Available capital British wealth from Atlantic trade was available for investment British dominance in the slave trade led to the development of finance and credit institutions that helped industrialists obtain capital Developments in transportation Canal travel cut the cost of transportation New highways were built all over the country Domestic and overseas markets Britain had a very large consumer market, the largest market in Europe Britain also supplied the Atlantic world with much of its manufactured goods

Social Factors Mobile and growing urban population England had a long historical development of social mobility the enclosure movement pushed people to the cities Social approval of profit motive British upper classes supported new industry Human capital such as engineers, inventors, and entrepreneurs helped Britain lead the process of industrialization, largely through private initiative