Second Industrial Revolution

Overview of the Impact of the US Civil War on Global Cotton Supply

  • Disruption of British cotton supply during the US Civil War.

  • British merchants seek alternative cotton supplies.

Shift to Indian Cotton Cultivation

  • Indian cultivators encouraged to plant cotton instead of food crops.

  • Adoption of new farming equipment and techniques.

  • Increased debt incurred for new farming requirements.

Consequences of the Shift

  • Global price of cotton initially rises but plummets after the Civil War ends.

  • Indian cultivators left with significant debt after the price drop.

  • Failed monsoon exacerbates the situation for these cultivators.

British Government Policies in India

  • Colonial government's decision-making that affected traditional food production.

  • Implementation of public works schemes (road building, railroad, canal projects).

  • The purpose of relief schemes: providing wages through work.

Economic Conditions for Indian Peasants

  • Similarities in conditions faced by Indian and Irish peasants.

  • Speculation on grain prices leading to increased costs for food.

  • Connection to global markets drastically affecting local economies.

Starvation and Relief Policies

  • British government relief policies required proof of starvation for assistance.

  • Workers had to travel long distances to work camps, leading to deaths on the way.

  • Indifference of the British authorities to the plight of starving people.

Rations for Workers

  • Insufficient food rations referred to as “temple wash.”

  • Caloric intake for hard labor set at 1645 calories per day.

  • Reports of extreme starvation among the population due to rationing failures.

Socioeconomic Impacts of the Second Industrial Revolution

  • Economic growth during the period from 1870 to 1890 and its global significance.

  • Questions about who benefits from economic growth in newly industrialized countries.

  • Awareness of disparities in living standards between regions.

Imperialism and Nationalism

  • Changes in imperialism from earlier periods to the age of new imperialism (1870-1914).

  • Emergence of competitive colonialism among European powers.

  • Increased nationalism among ordinary citizens pushing for colonies.

Industrial Needs Driving Competition

  • Heightened competition for resources (cotton, rubber, petroleum) as industrialization progresses.

  • Relationship between industrialization and the quest for colonies.

The Scramble for Africa

  • Description of the Scramble for Africa as nations claimed territory to establish empires.

  • Map depicting colonial claims and the scramble's geographical impact.

Military Power in Colonization

  • Use of military force to enact colonial ambitions.

  • Question of how military might played into European domination of African territories.

The Belgian Congo Example

  • King Leopold II and the extraction of rubber in the Congo Free State.

  • Use of violence and coercion in labor practices for rubber collection.

  • Importance of military presence to enforce colonial rule.

Lasting Impacts of Colonialism

  • Discussion of the enduring consequences of colonialism post-Second World War.

  • How historical extraction processes led to current socioeconomic conditions in formerly colonized regions.

  • Need for further examination of the legacies of colonialism in modern political and economic contexts.