Industrialization in the US and Russia Industrialization soon spread beyond Britain to Western Europe, especially in Belgium and the west German states, and Silesia in east Germany. By 1900 the US, Japan, and Russia had also established large, prosperous industrial sectors in their economies Broadly similar in many respects wherever established: Aristocrats, craftsmen, and peasants declined; middle and working classes grew; middle class women withdrew from work and stayed home; working class women were paid less than men and were kept out of labor unions; trade unions and socialist movements usually resulted as well

Country Specific Effects of Industrialization Spread of industrialization and impacts affected by cultures of areas where it spread The pace of industrialization and when it occurred were important factors in how effects were felt Nature of major industries, role of the state in industrialization, political reaction to social unrest and conflict all impacted effects France industrialized more slowly, perhaps less disruptively Germany focused on heavy industry and rapid industrialization and urbanization

The US and Russia: Enigmatic Variations Variations in how industrialization proceeded and its total effect on societies can best be seen in the case of the US and Russia

The United States: Industrialization without Socialism American industrialization began in the 1820 with textile mills in New England Explosive industrial growth after the Civil War c.1865 By 1914 US was the world leading industrial power with close links to European industrialization US government played an important role in industrialization through the following: TAX BREAKS TO COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES LAND GRANTS TO RAILROADS LAWS MAKING FORMATION OF CORPORATIONS EASY ABSENCE OF STRINGENT REGULATIONS ON MOST INDUSTRY

The United States: Industrialization without Socialism US PIONEERED MASS PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES CREATED A “CULTURE” OF CONSUMPTION THROUGH ADVERTISING, CATALOGS, AND DEPARTMENT STORES SELF MADE INDUSTRIALISTS SUCH AS FORD AND CARNEGIE BECAME CUTURAL HEROES HOWEVER, SERIOUS SOCIAL DIVISIONS OCCURRED Growing income gap between the wealthy and the poor Constant labor with little time off for most workers Creation of slums in urban areas along with rapid urban growth Labor began to protest and take action to change things

The United States: Industrialization without Socialism Socialism appealed to some in the US, with Socialist gaining 5-10% of the vote in several presidential elections. However, socialism did not appeal to most Americans for a variety of reasons. Political channels for protest and reform were already created Populist and Progressive movements developed to advocate for workers as well as others marginalized in American society American Unions were emphatically non-Socialist. The largest were focused on issues like pay and benefits and did not go in for theorizing about the plight of the working class as European unions tended to do. Socialism was seen as fundamentally “un-American”by most in the country

Russia: Industrialization and Revolution RUSSIA WAS AN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY WITH MORE STATE CONTROL OVER PROCESSES THAN ANYWHERE IN EUROPE IN 1900, NO POLITICAL PARTIES, NO PARLIAMENT, AND NO ELECTIONS EXCEPT VERY LOCALLY DOMINATED BY A TITLED NOBILITY (MANY OF WHOM WERE WESTERN EDUCATED) UNTIL THE 1860’S MOST RUSSIANS WERE SERFS IN RUSSIA THE STATE, NOT SOCIAL CHANGE, USUALLY INSTITUTED TRANSFORMATIONS PETER AND CATHERINE THE GREAT ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF THIS CHANGE FROM ABOVE SERFS WERE FREED BY THE TSAR IN 1860’S STATE SET OUT TO INDUSTRIALIZE RUSSIA, NOT INDIVIDUALS AS IN WESTERN EUROPE AND THE US

Russian Industrial Revolution By 1890 Russia was well into its industrial revolution Russia focused on developing railroads and heavy industry such as steel and armaments Foreign investment was very important as Russia had little money to invest on its own. France was the most important foreign investor Industry was concentrated in a few large cities, particularly St. Petersburg Russia developed extremely large factories much more so than in Western Europe

The Middle Class in the Russian Industrial Revolution There was a growing middle class of managers, professionals and bureaucrats Wanted greater political power in a nation where all power was concentrated in the ruler However, most depended on government for jobs and support The middle classes were scared of the growing radicalization of the working class, so supported the state against the workers

Russian Working Class in the Russian Industrial Revolution Although most of the Russian lower class were peasant farmers, a growing though small percentage were industrial workers These workers rapidly became radicalized because they had harsh working conditions, no legal means to express their discontent Many workers would strike to gain influence but be harshly dealt with Some educated Russians were disgusted with their government and were attracted to Marxist socialism. They founded a political party (which was illegal) in 1898-the Russian Social-Democrat Pary These middle and upper class people got involved in educating and organizing unions for the workers and also in revolutionary activities. This gave them hope for the future

Working Class responses to Russian Failure to listen to their demands In 1905, a revolution broke out in Moscow and St. Petersburg after Russia lost a war with Japan Workers went on strike creating workers councils or soviets There were student demonstrations and peasant uprisings across European Russia Many of the non-Russian peoples of the empire revolted as well In some areas the army openly rebelled against the government Although all of these were repressed, the tsar’s government had to make some reforms

Worker’s Reactions to the Industrial Revolution The limited scope of reform failed to satisfy the radicals or most workers More and more it appeared that only revolution would change their conditions World War I in which Russian fought against Germany and Austria with Britain and France was a key point in providing the revolutionaries with ammunition for a true revolution The Russian Revolution broke out in 1917-the 1st revolution brought a democratic socialists government to power; the 2nd revolution overthrew this democratic government and replaced it with a Marxist socialist workers government led by the Bolshevik party headed by a man named Lenin Russia was the only country in which violent social revolution was a direct result of industrialization