INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• Industrial Revolution, in modern history, the process of change from an agrarian, handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacture.
• This process began in England in the 18th century and from there spread to other parts of the world.
• Although used earlier by French writers, the term Industrial Revolution was first popularized by the English economic historian Arnold Toynbee (1852–83) to describe England’s economic development from 1760 to 1840. Since, Toynbee’s time the term has been more broadly applied. 
• If French Revolution is one of the two milestones of the modern world history, the second one is Industrial Revolution. 
• While French Revolution ushered decisive changes in socio-political fields, Industrial Revolution opened a new era by bringing fundamental changes in economy and production.
• Both the revolutions did not confine themselves to the fields and countries they have occurred but spread to other areas and parts of the world like the waves spreading all corners of the pond. 
• Both the revolutions have changed the nature and course of the human history.
• Industrial revolution was the major radical change that took place in the field of production and the revolution was made possible through science and technology. 
• Industrial revolution means machine taking the place of human crafts, products of machines substituting the hand made products. Power generating sources like water, coal and electricity taking the place of human labour and skill was the industrial Revolution. 
• Industrial Revolution shook the very foundations of the Production that continued unchanged for nearly two thousand years.
• Power loom replacing hand loom, steel replacing wood, Trains replacing horse rides, power produced by burning charcoal replacing the energy produced by the workingmen was the industrial Revolution. 
• Industrial Revolution that brought the revolutionary change in the mode of production has begun in second half of 18th century and still continuing.
• Hence, historians tend to call it industrial revolution. However, since time is relative and technological development cannot be achieved in a day or two, achieving the same in one or two centuries can
• Science and society going hand in hand in western world made possible the industrial Revolution to take place in the west. 
• The philosopher, the scientist and the artisan lived together without any social discrimination in western society. 
• Even though the origins of science lie in eastern world, the social equality persisting in western world was the reason behind the development in science and civilization there.
• During ancient and medieval ages the artisan or the ‘worker paid his attention in creating a product, but never bothered to understand the scientific reason or theory behind it. 
• The artisan satisfied himself with the technical knowledge, but could not perceive the scientific knowledge.
• However, the enlightenment of the Renaissance period had wiped out the demarcating line between the worker, who does the physical work and the scientist who does the mental exercise. 
• During renaissance period the handicrafts have fallen into the hands of those who were liberated and enjoyed status and prestige in the society.
• They become closer to the ruling sections.
• It was believed that the physical labour was associated with slavery and it was nothing to do with creativity. 
• However the Renaissance has shattered the dogma and allowed the two to go farther resulting in the invention of wonderful devices which made Industrial Revolution possible.

Factors leading to the beginning of Industrial Revolution in England 

• Industrial Revolution made its beginning in England during 18th century. Certain factors existing in England were favourable to it.  The first being capital. The capital required for the industrialization was abundant in England. 
• The capital accrued as a result of agricultural and commercial revolutions that happened. 17th, 18th centuries in England facilitated the establishment factories, purchase of raw material and appointment of workers.
• Bank of England, London stock exchange and British currency helped the consolidation of British economy. Adding to its England had enough enthusiastic and courageous merchants and feudal lords, entrepreneurs who dared to make investments in new ventures.
• The second factor was labour. The needed workers to work in the certainly be considered as achieved in a very short period.
• Hence it is more appropriate to call it industrial Revolution’. Louis Blanc- the French socialist was the first to call the developments taking place in the field of machines and production as Industrial Revolution.
• However Arnald Toynbee, the British historian made the phrase popular by writing a book with the title ‘Industrial Revolution’. the factories were in England, as the population grew rapidly in 18 century and the same was doubled in 19th century England.
• Even though many of them migrated to British got incorporated into factories, Peasants who lost their fields due to the enclosure movement also reached towns and cities and settled as factory workers, the disturbed political conditions in various European countries also helped the common people to reach England and made themselves available for cheaper wages.
• The third factor was resources. England was well endowed with resource. Its climate was damp enough be suitable for mechanical spinning and weaving in Cool climate was always an asset for spinning as the thread will not easily get snapped. Water resources were ample. Iron and coal mines were abundant. 
• The fourth factor was transportation. By the beginning of 18th century England was leading the world in shipping and seaborne transport. England modernized its medieval internal roads and canals. England being an island nation with suitable geographical condition to form natural ports, had the coastal line not more than 60, 70 miles distant from town or city inside the country, and helped it grow in internal and external trade. 
• The fifth factor was markets. As the British colonies have extended to Asia and Africa, extensive markets were opened to it. At this point a special mention should be made to Indian market. Adding to its internal open market among England, Scotland and Ireland has been consolidated. Hence there was no scarcity in England either for the supply of raw or for the markets for finished products.
• The above factors helped the industrial revolution to begin and spread in England. The following were some of the important industries, the growth of which helped the outbreak of industrial revolution. 

Text industry

• Industrial revolution had its beginning in textile industry. Spinning and weaving did exist since the ancient civilization. 
• However, weaving continued as a handicraft. Spinning was very slow. One weaver used to exhaust the yarn spun by five persons.
• The first revolutionary step took place when John kay invented the flying shuttle in 1733. Flying shuttle doubled the speed of weaving which resulted in the shortage of yarn.
• Hence, spinning jenny was invented by James Hargreaves in 1764 that can draw thin and fine thread from 16 spindles.
• However, the thread drawn from the Jenny was not strong enough which resulted in the invention of water frame by Richard Arkwright in 1769. Water Frame consisted of series of rollers and was run by power. Yarn spun on water frame was hard enough ‘nut 80 fine. 
• Hence combining the advantages of spinning jenny and water frame, Samuel Crompton invented the spinning mule in 1779. The, Mule facilitated spinning hundreds of yarn a time. 
• The spinning mule also didn’t work properly under new methods. Hence Edmund Cartwright invented the power loom.
• Through which mechanism was applied to weaving which resulted speedy production. Spinning mule and power loom brought revolutionary changes in textile Industry of England. 

Steam Engine

• The real revolution took place when steam was introduced as power in place of human energy and Waterpower.
• It is largely believed it lames Watt had invented the steam engine.
• However, Newcomen was the preceptor of Steam engine.
• But it was restricted to pumping out the water from coal mines. As it could not pump out water from deeper mines, James watt rectified it and invented steam engine in 1799.
• This steam engine has widely come into use. It worked as the driving force for the textile industry, trains and steamers. 
• Belton has widely propagated the use of steam engine and succeeded in producing them in large numbers. He had even invented new machines using steam engine and succeeded in producing them in large numbers.
• He had even invented new machines using steam engine. These developments led to the closure of domestic production and establishment of heavy machinery and industries.

Iron and Steel industry

• A huge amount of iron and steel was required for manufacturing machines. To process iron, charcoal was needed. 
• Earlier to the Industrial Revolution iron was processed in small furnaces with the help of charcoal.
• To acquire charcoal, woods were burnt. Hence rock coal replaced charcoal. Henry Cort had invented the puddling process with the help of rock coal. As a result of it rock coal was much needed.
• It has become dangerous to dig out rock coal from the mines because of poisonous gases existing in mines.
• It has become impossible to take, lamps inside the mines because of the prevalence of combatable gases. Under these circumstances Humphry Davy invented safety lamp and with it were mines illuminated and accidents were avoided.
• As the production of coal increased, the iron and steel industry was also developed. The greatest contribution to the development of steel industry was made by Bessemer.
• He had invented a process from steel which called Bessemer method. Bessemer had established a big steel factory in England. Darby, Hutswan, Nicholson were others who contributed to steel industry.
• Steel was extensively used in manufacturing of machines, railway lines; streamers and various instruments.

The Impact of Industrial Revolution

• The industrial Revolution had shown immense impact on the human history. The results of the Revolution have spread to economic, political, social, scientific and technological fields bringing fundamental change.

Economic impact

• The Industrial Revolution has brought many a change in the field of economy since it is the very out come of it. 
• Industrial Revolution replaced the domestic system with factory system. Machines have been established in factories.
• Factories needed well constructed spacious establishments.
• Money needed for establishing factories, purchasing raw materials and payments of wages to workers.
• Hence an industrial capitalist system has evolved that can invest money as capital. 
• Consequently the feudal lords and the entrepreneurs of domestic system who saved money and the merchants benefited by mercantilism have turned to be capitalists. 
• Corporations and joint stock companies have emerged as it was not possible to invest capital by one or two for the big factories.
• Hence establishment of huge factories has gone into the hands of joint companies.
• Capitalists were kept away from the problems of trade as the managerial staff had looked after them.
• European countries had to acquire markets for the enormous production made as a revolution. 
• This led to the establishment of colonies all over the world. The colonies have turned to be the markets to the finished products manufactured by the raw materials supplied by them.
• Colonisation resulted in disputes Among European countries finally leading to World War I. While industrial revolution led to colonialism, colonialism resulted in imperialism.
• Industrial revolution had created new goods and articles which did not exist in medieval ages. 
• Means of transport and means of communication like telegraph and telephone have made human life more convenient and comfortable. 
• Yet another result of the industrial Revolution was the rise of economic liberalism. Free trade policy introduced in England, based on the policy of “Laissaz faire” was the basis of the economic liberalism. 
• According to it the Government shall not interfere in the process of production and distribution. Economic liberalism has championed the cause of individual ability in economic progress. 
• This has attracted the British capitalists very much. However the British capitalists in their attempt to stop the government intervention in the trade policy didn’t allow the factory acts intended for workers welfare to be promulgated. 
• Industrial Revolution has spread to other European countries after 1870. With the completion of unification of Italy and Germany, the nationalistic sentiment has spread to other parts of the globe.
• Under the circumstances to compete with England, merchants of certain countries needed the intervention of government in the trade policy.
• They needed protection of taxes.
• Hence, the economic liberalism was replaced by economic nationalism through which national interests have been in trade policies.