19th Century Industrialization: Impacts and Spread
Luddism
Luddism was a movement led by English craftsmen in the nineteenth century, which protested between 1811 and 1817 against the new machines that were destroying employment.
Chartism
Chartism was a UK parliamentary reform movement of 1837–48, the principles of which were set out in a manifesto called The People’s Charter. It called for universal suffrage for men, equal electoral districts, voting by secret ballot, abolition of property qualifications for MPs, and annual general elections.
Liberalism
Economic liberalism is the theory that freedom of production and free trade are essential conditions for economic growth and development to take place. It was based on the ideas of Adam Smith, the father of modern economics. Smith believed that the state should not interfere with economic activity.
Industrial Capitalism
Industrial capitalism is a system that puts the ideas of economic liberalism into practice. Under commercial capitalism, trade had been the most important source of profit, but under industrial capitalism, industrial production became a country’s most profitable economic activity.
Key Elements of Industrialization
During the Industrial Revolution, three areas made an especially important contribution to economic growth:
The Textile Industry
Technological innovations, such as spinning and weaving machines, increased the amount of cotton fabric that could be produced. This led to lower prices. These machines were located in factories, where every worker was responsible for a different part of the production process. This division of labor made textile manufacturing more efficient.Iron and Steel Production
The production of iron and steel in foundries required large quantities of fuel, such as coke. This fuel was needed to heat the blast furnaces.Transport
At the start of the Industrial Revolution, improvements to road and water transport made an essential contribution to economic growth. However, it was the use of the steam engine in ships and trains that really revolutionized communications. The invention of the steam locomotive (Trevithick, 1804), the development of the first commercial steamship (Fulton, 1807), and then the opening of the first public railway (Stephenson, 1825) all made it possible to transport large quantities of goods more quickly and easily.
Europe’s Economic and Social Transformation
Between 1750 and 1870, two very different revolutions took place simultaneously in Europe: the French Revolution, which led to political transformation, and the Industrial Revolution, which brought about dramatic economic and technological changes. These revolutions had an enormous impact on society in this period, as well as in the decades that followed.
- In Great Britain, economic and technological advances resulted in the development of a more efficient system of industrial production.
- The process of industrialization soon spread throughout Europe.
- The combination of industrialization and the consequences of the French Revolution resulted in the end of the traditional estates system.
- Art and architecture during this period reflected the economic and social changes that were taking place.
Industrialization in Europe
During the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution spread from Great Britain to other countries, including Germany, Belgium, and France. This expansion took place because these countries had:
- Abundant reserves of iron and coal
- Growing populations that demanded more goods
- Well-developed railway networks to facilitate transport
Industrialization in Spain
Industrialization took place later in Spain and happened more slowly than in other countries. This was due to the following factors:
- Spanish coal deposits were generally of poor quality.
- Spain was less technologically advanced than other countries.
- Great Britain and France invested in the Spanish railways and the mining industry. These investments benefited Great Britain and France but did little to promote industrial development in Spain.