Industrial Society the Struggle for Reform

The Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution combined to transform every facet of European life in the 19th century The two movements are often termed the Dual Revolution

Industrial Revolution An assault on the scarcity of the Old Regime, leading to a revolution in access to the means supporting human life The substitution of mineral and mechanical energy for animal and human energy Rising output per capital at declining unit cost

Britain’s Industrial Experience Thanks to various advantages, Great Britain was the first nation to realize industrialization Geographic advantages Island status insulated it from continental strife No place in Britain was 70 miles from the ocean Britain possessed natural resources

Economic advantages Promotion of the Agricultural Revolution allowed for a larger population and labor force Financial network of banks and credit institutions able to supply capital necessary for industrial enterprise

Political advantages Through Parliament, mercantile and industrial interests enacted laws to promote commercial agriculture and laissez-faire policies Supported development of the British navy and the acquisition of colonies

Social Advantages Aristocrats and the middle class shared an interest in commerce and profit accumulation Protestant dissenters were driven into commercial and industrial pursuits Their dissenting academies emphasized practical and technical training

The Classical Economists Articulated nature of a laissez-faire capitalist order Thomas Malthus believed that food supplies could never keep up with population growth and there needed to be limits David Ricardo introduced the Iron Law of Wages

Iron Law of Wages In the short run, if the poor gained increased wages, they will produce more children, increasing the labor supply and driving down incomes In the long run, humanity could not produce a higher standard of living

Textile Innovations Textiles led the way during the Industrial Revolution Several simple technologies paved the way for the first factories Flying Shuttle – 1733 Spinning Jenny – 1768 Water Frame - 1771

Mule – 1780 Power Loom – 1785 By the middle of the 19th century, the entire textile industry had become mechanized Britain established dominance in a key consumer item with its cheap, sturdy cotton cloth

Steam Power, Coal Mining, Iron and Railroads James Watt, in partnership with Matthew Bolton, perfected the steam engine, which was essential to the development of the locomotive Watt’s invention provided a much needed source of power for factories, which could now be located anywhere

Coal mining expanded significantly in G.B. in the 18th century In 1709, the first blast furnace using coke could produce greater amounts of iron Henry Cort pioneered the process that enabled factories to produce higher quality wrought iron Soon all processes were consolidated under one roof

18th century Britain witnessed a great age of canal building Many of the first canals were privately funded, earning huge profits for investors Railroads replaced canals as the most efficient form of transportation

At first, railways consisted of horse-drawn wagons over wooden rails In 1804, Richard Trevithick designed and built the first steam powered locomotive George Stephenson created a faster engine called “The Rocket”

Stephenson developed his engine specifically for the first railroad, the Stockton and Darlington Other railroads soon popped up, providing cheaper goods and a new form of reliable passenger transportation The great age of railroad building energized the production of iron, steam engines, and the mining of coal

The Factory System First industrialists combined the role of inventor, entrepreneur, and manager Early business grew out of partnerships and fed off borrowed funds Industrialists realized the benefit of combining processes into one local

The first factories appeared in textile spinning in the 1780’s in the new industrial towns in the North, such as Manchester and Liverpool

Britain’s preeminence By the mid 19th century, Britain had well established itself industrially To celebrate its accomplishments, leaders organized the first World’s Fair in 1851 in London called the Crystal Palace Expedition