1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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