The Industrial Revolution

Question 1

Why is the Industrial Revolution a significant event in history?

Answer 1

• Turning point in world history, signifying transition between pre-modern & modern world.
• Argued by Deirdre McCloskey that it was ‘the central event of modern history’

Question 2

What are the core consequences of the Industrial Revolution?

Answer 2

• Changed way people lived lives
• Sustained economic growth
• Increased living standards
• Increased world population
• Changed environment (fossil fuel usage)

Question 3

Why is the IR a highly contested event?

Answer 3

2 main debates surrounding it, both exploring contemporary & historian views.

Question 4

What are contemporary views?

Answer 4

Opinions/views of people at the time of the event. ?

Question 5

What are historian views?

Answer 5

Historians studying an event in history after the time period. ????? not sure ??????

Question 6

What are some contemporary views regarding the IR?

Answer 6

• Patrick Colquhoun stated in 1814 that ‘the progress of manufacture in Great Britain within the last 30 years’ cannot be processed without ‘wonder & astonishment’, that it goes ‘beyond all calculations’.
• Leon Faucher claims a similar appreciation in 1840s but goes as far to say that British IR serves to influence ‘the progress of civilisation in every quarter of the globe.’

Question 7

What are some historian’s views regarding the IR?

Answer 7

Sir John Clapham (English historian) objected to the term IR as though focused too narrowly on change, though change should be discussed in broader terms.

Question 8

What aspects facilitated industrialisation in Britain?

Answer 8

• Mortality rate declining & birth rate rising due to better food, urbanisation.
• Significant migration from to UK (e.g. Ireland)
• People experiencing better off financially in 1860 than 1780.

Question 9

As the population grew in the UK, how could all of the population be prospering financially?

Answer 9

• Overcoming law of diminishing returns
• Better land, machines & then people (i.e. through education, encouraging better ideas)
• Increase in productivity (not production) as a result of better land & food.

Question 10

What are some critiques associated with urbanisation?

Answer 10

Frederick Engels on Manchester:

• expresses opinion that industrialisation and emergence of machinery served to ‘reduce the working man and the attempts of the proletariat to rise above debasement’

Debasement (def.) = to lower value

Question 11

How can the debate over what happened and when regarding IR be categorised?

Answer 11

1. Traditional interpretation

2. Newer macroeconomic view

Question 12

What does the traditional interpretation of the IR claim?

Answer 12

• Industrialisation was a heroic & rapid revolution built on technology

Question 13

What do the new macroeconomic views claim?

Answer 13

• Rapid change but only in a small no. of sectors.
• Slow per capita growth in output.
• Long period of transition
• Agriculture contributed as much as industry until after 1800.
• Modern economic growth only occurred with development of railways (1840s)

Question 14

What are the benefits of the newer macroeconomic interpretations?

Answer 14

• More variety of measurements, better/new data, new techniques etc.
• Shift away from ‘heroic technologies’ as sole explanation

Question 15

Why does the IR remain a debate?

Answer 15

• Complex time in history
• Very regional & patchy
• Still more rural people than urban despite increased urbanisation
• Only 30% of population engaged in industry
• Debated just how rapid change was & how extensive.
• Different historians put different weights on same info.