Industrial Revolution

Why England? Agricultural Revolution - increased food production = lower prices = greater purchase power Geo Factors - island nation combined w/ canal building of 1770s - move goods Geo Factors - large deposits of coal and iron - important raw materials for IR

Why England? Economic - supply of capital - effective central bank and well developed credit markets Economic - Entrepreneurs - a new middle class willing to risk capital

Why England? Political - stable government w/ limited economic controls Political - enclosure movement had created a labor force willing to move to urban areas

Why England? Had the markets - expanding Atlantic economy - trade w/ Americas

Cotton Textiles Cottage Industry/Domestic System/Putting Out System - becoming inefficient Kay - flying shuttle Hargreaves - spinning jenny Arkwright - water frame Crompton - spinning mule Cartwright - power loom

Steam…the game changer 1760s James Watt and steam engine Location not dependant on rivers 1787 Britain imported 22 million pounds of cotton - 1840 366 million Steam engine combined w perfection of iron = railroads that transformed transportation

Watt’s steam engine Steam tractor

Initial Effects of IR No more commando for lower class Wages of weavers went up Threat to handcraft workers Early factories resembled poor houses - thus child labor

Initial Effects cont. Railroad - iron and coal complimented to expand both industries New labor class willing to move Cheaper faster goods - more markets - reinvest capital - self perpetuating Change to daily life - cottage to factory whistle

Impact of Railroads

Continent after 1815 Great Britain would lead the way up til WWI when finally U.S. and Germany passed Continent had been consumed by French Rev and Napoleon No free trade - tariffs & toll stations on rivers drove prices up Not as willing as Brits to risk capital (conservatism)

The continent takes a different path: 1) “borrowed” techniques & practices from British John Cockerill - Belgium Fritz Harkort - Germany 2) Gov influence - tariffs France - high tariffs Germany - Zollverein - tariff union 3) Join-Stock Banks - Credit Mobilier in France

Social Implications 1) Urbanization 2) Struggle between labor & capital 3) Working conditions 4) Economics: the “dismal science” 5) Liberal reforms for workers 6) rise in standard of living

Urbanization 50% of Brits livied in cities by 1850 Miserable conditions - sanitation chief concern Edwin Chadwick - reformer outlining probs 1848 Public Health Act

Labor v. Capital New group of factory owners and ind capitalists increase wealth of middle class New social relations - economic classes Haves and have-nots (proletariat) Marx - “class consciousness”

Working Conditions Unsafe, long hours (12 hr shifts) Sexual division of labor (less jobs women/paid less) Woman’s biological clock Balance work with running a home “patriarchal tradition”

“Dismal Science” Modern Capitalism - Adam Smith & Invisible Hand Thomas Malthus - pop will outpace food supply to be checked by natural forces - poor should have less kids David Ricardo - “Iron Law of Wages” When wages are high, workers have more kids More children create a labor surplus that depress wages

Liberal Reforms Robert Owen attempted unsuccessfully to organize a nationalized trade union Luddites - skilled craftspeople that attacked and damaged machines Chartism - organized workers in Britain demanding universal male suffrage 1840s

Liberal Reforms Factory Act of 1833 - 8 hr day kids 9-13, 12 hrs kids 13-18 Ten Hours Act - 13-18 = 10 hrs and women included

Rise in Standard of Living? No doubt early years tough for workers How do we quantify? Wages, employment, purchasing power Real wages increase after 1820 No good stats on unemployment Av person earned/consumed 50% more in 1850 than 1770 Real winners = middle class