The origins of industrialization

The origins of industrialization

Origins of Industrialization

Pre-Industrial Society

• Before industrialization, economies were based on agriculture and handicrafts, with manufacturing often taking place in homes or small workshops.
• Society was characterised by a basic division of labor, largely dictated by tradition and inheritance.
• Technology was simple and workers were mainly self-sufficient, exchanging goods and services within local communities.

Population and Urbanisation

• From the mid-18th century there was a significant population growth in Britain due to increased food production and improved medical care, leading to a larger workforce and new potential markets.
• Rapid urbanisation took place, as people flocked to the cities in search of work, leading to a growth of towns and cities such as Manchester and Birmingham.

Technological Innovation

• The invention of the spinning jenny and the power loom revolutionized the textile industry, a key driver of the industrial revolution.
• The development of the steam engine by James Watt led to the creation of more efficient machinery and transportation.

Economic and Political Factors

• Britain’s involvement in the slave trade provided capital for industrial development, as did the profits from its worldwide empire.
• The English legal system provided a favourable environment for business, with secure property rights and the enforcement of contracts encouraging investment.

Social Factors

• Britain had a relatively fluid social structure in contrast to the estate systems prevalent on the continent, allowing for the emergence of a powerful new industrial capitalist class.
• The rising middle class provided both the entrepreneurs who drove the industrial revolution and the consumers who fueled demand for new products and services.

Natural Resources and Geography

• Britain had plentiful supplies of coal and iron - the raw materials of the industrial revolution.
• The existence of navigable rivers and canals, and an indented coastline, facilitated the transport of goods and people, and allowed for the rapid growth of cities.

Domestic and International Trade

• Britain’s global network of trade routes provided markets for its manufactured goods.
• The policy of laissez-faire economics allowed markets to operate with little interference from government. This free trade environment encouraged innovation and enterprise.