Industrial Revolution

Mains Marks Booster     4th August 2023        
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Current context:

In today's rapidly advancing technological era, where automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping industries, it is essential to reflect on the historical roots of such transformations. The Industrial Revolution serves as a significant milestone in understanding the profound impact of industrialization on societies, economies, and the world at large.

Introduction

Industrial Revolution was a period of profound transformation in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, characterised by a shift from agrarian, handcrafted economies to machine-based manufacturing and industrialization. 

 

1.4.1 CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

 

Causes of Industrial Revolution

Developments

Agricultural Revolution

  • Technological advancements such as steel ploughs and mechanical seed drills, increased agriculture efficiency, food production, and freed up surplus of labor for employment in other sectors.
  • The Enclosure Movement led to eviction of small landholders, who then became available for Industries in urban areas.

Access to Resources

  • Discovery and exploitation of new resources, such as coal and iron ore, provided the necessary raw materials for industrialization.

Technological Innovations

  • Inventions like the steam engine, spinning jenny, and power loom revolutionized production methods and increased efficiency in various industries.

Population Growth

  •  Significant population increase created a large labor force, enabling industries to expand and meet growing demand.

Trade and Colonialism

  • Expansion of international trade, colonization, and the establishment of global markets created opportunities for economic growth and the exchange of goods.

Urbanization

  • Rural-to-urban migration resulted in the concentration of people in cities, fueling the demand for goods and services and providing a ready workforce for industries.

Capital and Investment

  • Accumulation of capital and the rise of a capitalist class allowed for investment in new ventures and technology necessary for industrialization.

Improved Transportation

  • Developments in transportation, such as the steam-powered locomotive and canals, facilitated the movement of goods and raw materials, promoting industrial growth.

 

IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

 Economic Impact

    • Shift to Capitalism: The Industrial Revolution accelerated the rise of capitalism, with private ownership, profit-driven enterprises, and a market-based economy becoming dominant.
    • Unprecedented economic growth, creating new industries, cheap-mass produced goods, increasing productivity, and generating wealth.
    • Increased Standard of Living: with access to mass-produced goods, improved transportation, and advancements in healthcare.
  • Social Impact
    • Urbanization: Mass migration from rural areas to urban centres, resulting in rapid urbanization, overcrowding, and poor/unsanitary living conditions.
    • Emergence of Working class as a new social group, facing harsh working conditions, long hours and low wages. Labour movements/unions formed to advocate for workers' rights.
    • Prevalence of Child labour during the early stages of industrialization, with children as young as five working in factories under harsh conditions.
  • Technological Advancements: Inventions and innovations such as the steam engine, mechanised production, and transportation systems, revolutionized manufacturing processes.
  • Global Impact: It transformed the global economy, increasing international trade, colonisation, and the spread of industrialization to other parts of the world, including India.
  • Environmental Impact: Such as pollution, deforestation, and the depletion of natural resources, leading to long-term environmental challenges.

Conclusion:

  • The Industrial Revolution, spanning the late 18th and early 19th centuries, had a profound and lasting impact on society, economy, and the world at large.
  • It marked a significant shift from agrarian and artisanal economies to industrialized and mechanized systems of production. 
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