Industrial Revolution

Arnold Toynbee

Cointed the term “industrial revolution”

What Was the Industrial Revolution?

-Use of mineral power (coal) to replace water, wind, animal and human power

-Use of larger units of production

-Substitution of machines for human skill and labor

-Increased division and specialization fo labor

Mechanization resulting in growth of unskilled workforce

Spinning Wheel and Textiles

Spinning wheel made more efficient with Spinning Jenny, then evolved with water frame

-New weaving technology also improves with the Cotton Gin

-Eventually, Steam Engines develops which powers the machine

Factory Development

Machines were expensive, resulting in a shift towards Factory Production;

-Equipment is owned by a small, rich group and skilled workers sell their labor and become waged-laborers

-Overtime, they become unskilled laborers

When Did the Industrial Revoution Take Place

Toynbee (1760-1830) argues the revolution began in a fixed time period;

-Other historians view the Revolution as an “Evolution”, starting with the printing press mechanizing industry in the 15th century

-Horse-powered mills in the 1700s already demonstrates high level of technical sophistication

Dutch Windmills in the 1600s

Pump water out of canals to reclaim land

-Grind grain, oil seeds, cut timber, make paper, paint and pigments

-Also used to process Fibre

Indicates an understanding of technological sophistication

Second Industrial Revolution (1880s-1914)

“Quantum Leap” - New mass of factory production, electricity, chemicals and automobiles

-Rapid industrialization of Germany and the USA

Where did the Industrial Revolution Take Place

Began in Britain, spreads to Netherlands, Belgium and northern France/Germany

-Generated after; Eastern Canada/America industrialize

Measure of Location: Percent of people living in the city vs outside, greater industrialization = more people moving to the cities for work

Preconditions of the Industrial Revolution

1. Agricultural Production

2. Demographic Change

3. Stable/Pro-capitalist system

4. Commercial wealth/entrepreneurial culture

5. Science and technological innovations

6. Accident

7. Imperialism

Why was Agricultural Productivity Increased

New techniques, better fertilizer, use of Enclosures

-Enclosures - Consolidation of small farms into larger, more efficient estates

Stable Political System

England had a more stable system than other European nations

-Peace provides investors more confidence to invest in technology

Establishment of House of Commons’ power results in development of new institutions (Bank of England, Insurance, Stock Market), allowing investors to take greater risks/regular people able to invest in business

Commerical Revolution

Revolution in Commerce

-Rise of new, commercial merchant class in the 17th/18th centuries; wealth generated from imperial and transatlantic trade

-new money is more easily accepted into cultural and political elite, than elsewhere in Europe

-Cultural values shift; getting rich is now celebrated —> no longer a “sin” —> greed is now good

Mercantilism

Early form of capitalism, fosters economic development in competitive environment

Views the world as having limited wealth, different states compete to gain wealth

-Heavy state regulation in trade, each country being self-sufficient economy, guilds/municipal government regulate productions, wages, and prices

Free-Market Capitalism

Global wealth can be expanded; it is infinite

-Market is moral and guided by an “invisible hand”, individual greed works out to public benefit; so let the market operate

-Reduce regulations and tariffs to promote trade

But government does regulate monopolies, invest, in education and the public good

Industrious Revolution

Concept by Jan de Vries, argues that the industrious revolution (17th century) is a result of a shift in consumer values

-Material acquisition and social climbing values more than previously; “People Want to be Rich”

New Labor Theory - People are willing to work harder for material prosperity

-Evidence: Europeans work longer, harder compared to other time periods/societies

David Landes

Argues that the culture in Europe is “conducive” to revolution, compared to other places

-”Prometheus Unbound” → Play on greek figure who stole fire from the gods, providing technical skills, crafts, and arts

-Condemned by greek god Zeus, tied to a rock where eagle eats his liver every day

Faustian Spirit

Makes pact with “Devil”, Faustian bargain — sells his soul to gain knowledge about astronomy, alchemy and how the world works

-Faust is condemned to hell for forsaking divine knowledge for human knowledge

in other version, he’s saved by God for his constant striving for knowledge

-In Goethes’ account, he becomes an engineer to manipulate the world

Eastern Religions and Animalism

Europeans, believing nature was just material, were able to manipulate environment

-Other cultures beleived nature itself is living, and thus did not mass-alter environment like EUropeans

Inquisition of Chinese and Muslim Worlds

Europeans were more inqusitive to scientific discoveries and innovations

-Chinese were too arrogant to learn anything from outsiders

Protestant Work Ethic

Viewed Calvinists was diligent, thrifty, honest, and austere

-Protestants were more successful in business

-Related to their doctrine of predistination, causes them to work harder be more frugal and lead more discipline lives

Protestant reformation leads to a more secular sphere, decline of magic, division between material reality and inner spirituality

-Protestantism stresses reading (bible) —> Literacy and education