Industrial Revolution: Factors, Consequences, and Social Changes
Demographic and Industrial Shifts
What factors were instrumental in changing demographics? What were the consequences for population evolution?
The factors are: population growth, increasing food production, and advances in hygiene and medicine. As a consequence, there was a decrease in mortality and increased fertility.
The Rise of the Factory System
What is the factory system of production? What factors led to it?
The factory system is the concentration of workers and machines in large industrial buildings. Mechanization and the introduction of new energy sources were the main factors that led to it.
Mechanization of the Textile Industry
Explain the process of mechanization of the textile industry in Britain.
The machining process began with spinning cotton into yarn and then weaving. To increase quantity, innovations were introduced, starting with the flying shuttle, which increased the speed of weaving. This was followed by increased thread production, power looms, and finally, the complete mechanization of textile production.
Growth of the Steel Industry
What led to the development of the steel industry? Why was it important?
The invention of the use of coke by Darby, which allowed increased iron production, and Bessemer’s converter, which transformed iron into steel, were key developments. The demand for iron for agricultural equipment, machinery, and railways stimulated the emergence of new processes. Coal became widely used.
Economic Liberalism
Explain the basic principles of economic liberalism.
The key principles were:
- The pursuit of maximum profit drives the economy.
- Market prices balance various interests by adjusting supply to demand.
- The state should refrain from intervening in the economy, allowing free development of individual interests (free trade).
Industrial Expansion in the 19th Century
Summarize the expansion phases of industrialization in the nineteenth century.
In the early nineteenth century, industrialization spread to France and Belgium, focusing on steel and textiles. Between 1850 and 1870, Russia, Germany, the USA, and Japan industrialized, using technology and foreign capital. Southern Europe saw a mix of industrialized regions and rural areas. Eastern Europe remained largely unindustrialized until well into the twentieth century.
The Second Industrial Revolution
What is meant by the second industrial revolution? What new energies and industries were developed?
The second industrial revolution was a new phase of industrialization where Britain’s leadership began to be shared with Germany, the USA, and Japan. New energy sources (oil and electricity) and industries (metallurgy, automobile, chemical, and concrete) were developed.
Organization of Industrial Production
How was industrial production organized in the late nineteenth century?
Industrial production was organized through mass production to increase productivity, decrease employee time, and reduce manufacturing costs.
Social Impact of Industrialization
New Social Groups
What social groups appeared in the new industrial society? What are their characteristics?
Social groups were divided into two: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.
The bourgeoisie was divided into:
- The big bourgeoisie: bankers, landlords, and large factory owners.
- The middle bourgeoisie: professionals, officials, and traders.
- The petty bourgeoisie: employees and shopkeepers. They lived in large, affluent houses.
The proletariat consisted of workers employed in factories for a salary. They lived in modest, often small, houses and were the most numerous group.
Workers’ Associations
What were the first workers’ associations? How did they achieve their objectives?
The first associations were:
- Luddism: opposition to mechanization, seen as responsible for low wages and unemployment.
- Class consciousness: a sense of shared class identity and common problems.
- Mutual aid societies: created to defend workers’ interests, originating in Britain in the late eighteenth century. They provided financial assistance in case of illness or unemployment.
The purpose of unions was to improve working conditions. Their initial demands included the right of association, reduced working hours, better pay, and child labor regulations.
Marxism and Anarchism
Explain and compare Marxism and anarchism. What are the fundamental similarities and differences between both models?
- Marxism: aspired to a workers’ revolution to destroy capitalism. Workers would form a party, seize power, create a workers’ state where private property would disappear, and eventually achieve a classless communist society.
- Anarchism: exalted individual liberty, criticized private property, rejected all forms of authority, and opposed political action. It was divided into two lines: one favoring violent action and another promoting anarcho-syndicalism.
- Similarities: Both Marxists and anarchists advocated uniting the working class globally to fight against capitalism.