The Industrial Revolution: Origins and Society
The Industrial Revolution: Economic and Technological Changes
The Industrial Revolution was a set of interrelated economic and technological changes that resulted in a profound transformation of the economy and society. Early changes occurred in Great Britain in the mid-eighteenth century.
Demographic Revolution
Prior to the Industrial Revolution: High mortality and high birth rates.
Economy
- Agriculture was the main economic activity.
- Mercantilism was the dominant economic thought.
- Triangular trade formed the hub of world trade.
Agricultural Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution was a period during which there was a very high increase in agricultural productivity and yield. These facts provoked an unprecedented migration from the countryside, freeing up a significant percentage of the population, which constituted a workforce for the Industrial Revolution. Before the Agricultural Revolution, agriculture was primarily for subsistence with very little surplus. The revolution led to increased surpluses.
The Norfolk System
The Norfolk System was a revolutionary system of crop rotation that ensured the land never ran out of nutrients or became unproductive. It involved a four-year rotation: Wheat, Turnips, Barley, Clover. This eliminated the need for fallow land, increasing productivity and dedicating land to forage crops for feeding livestock.
Enclosures
Enclosures involved closing off fields for cattle. This practice originated in England.
Consequences:
- Beneficiaries: Large and medium-sized farmers.
- Negatively Affected: Small farmers, who emigrated to the city to seek a living and joined the masses of workers.
The Putting-Out System
In the Putting-out System, business brokers or traders supplied raw materials to peasant families to spin, as wages were lower than those paid to urban producers. The yarn or fabric then went to other families. The process of dyeing and finishing the cloth was done in workshops that employers had established elsewhere. This activity did not require large investments and was simple and cheap.
Pre-Industrial Production in Spain
Trade with Europe and the Mediterranean (Maresme, Penedès, Spain): From the Port of Barcelona, trade occurred with the ports of Puerto Rico, Havana, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo. Charles III abolished the monopoly of Cadiz in 1778.
- Fargues: A piece of metal on which the mineral was worked, kept red-hot, and moved with hydraulic power.
- Paper Mills (Anoia, 12th Century): Used for tobacco after the discovery of America.
- Fur Production (3 plants) – Wool and Silk Textiles
Industrial Society
Population Increase: Caused by a decrease in mortality and birth control.
Causes:
- Medical advances.
- Improved hygiene.
- Technical advances -> Increased population -> Reduction of hunger.
Consequences: Migratory movements -> To America, Oceania; from rural areas to urban centers; from inland areas to the coast.
The Class Society
- Bourgeoisie: A predominantly urban social class. They were politically conservative and economically protectionist, organizing to protect their interests. They included landowners, large merchants, financiers, and industrialists.
- Representatives of the Bourgeoisie: Güell (textiles, steam, and the old Colonia Güell), Bonaplata (textiles), Muntadas (textiles, Industrial Spain), Girona (bankers, Bank of Barcelona and Banco Hispano Colonial).
- Proletariat: Possessed no goods or property and had to sell their time and labor to earn a wage. They endured long working hours, exposure to diseases, poor hygiene, almost no education, low wages, and a life expectancy of 40 years. They lived in the industrial areas of cities or industrial colonies.
The Labor Movement
The Industrial Revolution fostered the rise of the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The proletariat organized the first movement (Luddism), which consisted of destroying machines, believing they were responsible for the lack of work. By the 19th century, the labor movement emerged: the set of associations of factory workers aiming to improve their living conditions.
Example: Chartism demanded the introduction of universal suffrage.