Unit 1: Industrial Revolution, Sociology and Economic Systems Flashcards
What was the Industrial Revolution
It was a transformative period in human history that saw the change from agricultural and handicraft based economies to mechanised production.
( late 18th - early 19th century)
Positive Aspects of Industrial Revolution
Pros:
- Enabled mass production
- Advancements in textiles, iron, and coal mining
- Shaped the world we live in today.
Negative Aspects of Industrial Revolution
Cons:
- Unethical methods to achieve mass production
- Child labor
- Environmental degradation ( Pollution,)
How has industrialization changed our daily lives?
People moved from livelihoods that were very agriculturally centric to jobs related to mechanical and machine work.
The industrial revolution has changed the way we live today, from being able to go to another city in mere hours, to ordering a product from another country.
Why was Britain a pioneer in industrialization?
- Britain -> Island, separate from wars. Investments was spent on technology not military.
- Britain had access to resources from all their colonies
- Britain had lots of natural coal - powering the steam engine
Mention 2 key inventions from the Industrial Revolution
Spinning Jenny - a hand-powered spinning machine for cotton and textile,
Steam Engine - a coal powered engine that drove the Industrial Revolution
Impact of Industrial Revolution on Social Change
Two classes formed during the Industrial Revolution, the Proletariat and the Bourgeoisie. The working class and the capitalist class.
The capitalist class owns the means of force and the outcome of production. the working class are the means of force and production.
Class consciousness took place and people became aware of their class.
Due to child labour and terrible working conditions, the proletariat class began to form labour unions to fight for worker rights.
Similarly, the Bourgeoise became aware of their wealth and status and they formed elite clubs and enjoyed leisure activities.
Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Colonies
The British Empire greatly benefited from the colonies it had and its resources. For example, India had quality cotton that fueled the textile industry in Britain during the IR. This came at the cost of the labourers and workers in the colonies as they had to match the increased demands.
Dutch exploited Indonesian workers for cheap sugar after the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade.
Role of Colonies in the Industrial Revolution
Provided labour, raw material, market and capital to Britain
How did Britain benefit from the colony of India
- main provider of raw cotton to Britain (raw materials)
- the British then sold the finished products in India, generating wealth (capital).
- due to colonial policies, India was forced to buy British manufactured goods, so they also got a market.
Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Ideologies
The rise of liberal economic and political philosophy, the emergence of labour unions, and the rise of nationalism
It also was the beginning of the consumerism that exists today
Industrial Revolution in Japan
After The Meiji Restoration, Japan opened foreign trade, and developed new technologies.
What was Class Conflict
Class conflict is the struggle between different social classes. It is often caused by differences in wealth, power, and status.
The bourgeoisie owned the means of production, such as factories and machines, while the proletariat worked for wages in these factories.
How did family structures change during the Industrial Revolution
Before the Industrial Revolution large extended families lived on farmhouses with the support of each other.
During and after the Industrial Revolution
families had to separate from their relatives as it was not sustainable in the city.
They went to the cities to find work as migrant labourers. This led to many families becoming homeless and falling into poverty as theyused to depend on their extended family members for financial support.
What does Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs suggest?
Physiological Needs ->
Safety and Security ->
Love and Belonging ->
Self Esteem ->
Self Actualization ( Final)
Forces of production
Human force, materials and ideas such as assembly line
Relations of production
How people organize themselves around labour.
What was Durkheims idea on solidarity
Durkheim believed that modern society evolved from mechanical solidarity ( premodern) to organic solidarity ( modern).
What is the difference between mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity
The premodern society would basically have the same beliefs, work and skill sets. Bound together by commonalities, similitudes and likenesses ( collective consciousness)
the modern society has different people, different jobs, different religions, different values. Bound together by interdependence. One individual highly specialized in making banks safer is still dependent on the butcher for meat, the police for protection etc etc
The division of labour in modern and premodern societies
Pre-modern : everyone does basically the same stuff
Modern: highly specialized roles -
Due to societies branching out into other areas of skill from the hunter gather phase everyone is dependent on everyone for different things
How did Britain benefit from the colony of the USA
provided cotton to Britain via the transatlantic slave trade
How did Britain benefit from the colony in Africa and Malaysia
rubber + palm oil for machine lubrication, railways, and later automobile tires
How was Labour used in colonies of Britain?
- enslaved africans worked in plantations (cotton picking)
- after slavery was abolished, britain introduced ‘indentured labour’ in china and india
-
cheap labour was exploited and used for the advantage of the british
- indian railway was made for transporting raw material to britain (connected mines and plantations)
- telegraphs enhanced british administrative control, not local communication
How did Britain balance a trade deficit with China
[grew opium to balance trade deficit.
- earlier, britain had imported many goods from china
- china did not accept british goods, and demanded payment in silver
- this drained britain’s silver reservers
- silver was main currency of International trade and losing it weakened britain’s economy
- so they grew opium in india and smuggled it to china
- addicted chinese population created high demand, reversing the trade deficit
- lead to economic stability and banning of opium by chinese government which lead to opium wars
How did Britain trade with India?
- britain imposed high import taxes on indian textiles
- this made indian textiles too expensive in Britain, protecting British mills from competition.
- British manufacturers, using industrial machines, produced textiles more cheaply and efficiently, reducing demand for Indian cloth in Europe.
- british cloth was dumped into the Indian market, selling at prices lower than what Indian artisans could compete with.
- Indian handloom industries collapsed, and millions of weavers became unemployed
Short term impact of British Industrial Revolution on Colonies?
deindustrialisation+mass unexployment+economic dependence
- collapse of bengal’s textile industry
- by the mid-19th century, Indian textile exports had fallen from 25% of world trade to almost nothing.
- skilled artisans were forced to become farmers or beggars
- india became economically dependent on britain
Long Term Impact of British Industrial Revolution on Colonies?
- even after independence in 1947, India struggled to rebuild its textile industry, which had been deliberately dismantled by Britain.
- The economic damage caused by British policies delayed India’s industrial development for over a century.
Impact of British Industrial Revolution on Egyptian Colony
- Egypt was forced to grow cotton for British textile mills, leaving farmers dependent on a single crop
- caused economic instability and food shortages (famines) in Egypt when global cotton demand declined
What is Capitalism
Is an economic system where private individuals own and control property, and prices are determined by supply and demand. It’s also known as the market system.
What are the pros of Capitalism
- competition (invisible hand of free market) encourages businesses to innovate
- rapid industrial and technological advancements, leading to higher productivity.
- high living standards due to increased economic output
- division of labour and specialization increas productivity and efficiency
- but specialization may lead to alienation of workers
psychological state where workers feel powerless, isolated, and meaningless at work
- but specialization may lead to alienation of workers
What are the cons of Capitalism
- creates income inequality - rich get richer, workers struggle with stagnant wages
- workers are paid only a fraction of the value they create
- Capitalist economies experience periods of rapid growth followed by recessions or depressions.
- Capitalist firms focus on profits, sometimes at the cost of workers’ well-being and environmental sustainability.
How did Capitalists exploit workers by maximizing surplus value?
- workers do not own the means of production
- they must sell their labor to survive, so they have no choice but to accept the low wages
- So capitalists exploit workers by maximizing surplus value
- Extending the workday (absolute surplus value)
- Increasing efficiency through technology (relative surplus value), meaning workers produce more in the same time but still get paid the same.
Examples of recessions and depressions
- the great depression (1929) and the 2008 financial crisis show capitalism’s vulnerability to instability.
- the “free hand” doesn’t work as its supposed to
Examples of when Capitalist focus on profits, at the cost of workers’ well-being and environmental sustainability.
- Businesses exploit natural resources without considering long-term sustainability.
- Pollution, deforestation, and climate change are worsened by profit-driven industries that prioritize short-term gains.
What is Keynesianism
govt should interfere in the economy to prevent the formation of monopolies and to help a country overcome situations of recession/depression
- subsidize small companies
- small companies ask loan, give it
- big companies ask loan, deny
- if a product is needed in society, subsidize it
- if a product is luxury, tax it
To avoid monopoly formation
- antitrust laws
a. prohibit agreements that restrict competition - governments sue companies engaging in monopolistic behavior.
a. US vs Microsoft - sued for restricting competition in web browsers (1998) - if a company becomes too dominant, govt can force it to break up
Example of Monopoly
13 steel companies in USA joined to form US Steel
very few competitors left, and US Steel made their competitors join them asw
monopoly created
consumer has no choice but to buy from this company, no matter how high the price may be. because there is no other company selling steel.
What is communism
a theory or system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.
What were Karl Marx’s Ideologies?
said the workers can come together and overthrow the monarchy and then will own the means of production then communism
What were the main ideas of Communism?
- free education
- free health care
- no inherited wealth
- no private ownership
- even distribution of wealth
- no exploitation of workers for surplus value
- govt controls production, managing inflation, mass unemployment
Pros of Communism
-
classless society concept
- today, everyone believes that racism, sexism is bad; should be no discrimination
- some countries take this to extreme - no discrimination ≠ no difference b/w people
- ex. architecture in communist countries all buildings white (monotonous, no creativity)
- some countries take this to extreme - no discrimination ≠ no difference b/w people
- today, everyone believes that racism, sexism is bad; should be no discrimination
-
no inherited welath concept
- inheritance tax exists in many european countries
-
workers can come together to raise their voice when they feel they are being exploited
- ex. farmers protest - whenever farmers feel they are being exploited they come together to raise their voice and protest
- in many countries worker unions and labour unions exist
-
solving problem of low wages
- concept of minimum wage exists
- free education and healthcare
- germany, france, norway, belgium, and spain
Cons of Communsim
why whenever implemented, fails & transforms into a dictatorship? (leninism, stalinsm, maoism)
- no motivation to work harder, no incentive to work hard
- if work less, you will get how much u need, if work more, still get how much is needed
- now if everyone in the society starts thinking like this and does not work hard
- no competition
- means no development
- no innovation
- in incentive to improve efficiency or create new technologies
- no competition
- now if everyone in the society starts thinking like this and does not work hard
- if work less, you will get how much u need, if work more, still get how much is needed
- when you try to form a classless society, a power vacuum is created
- space at the top is empty, there is no one to lead
- because of this there is always space for the rise of a dictator
- leads to corruption
- because of this there is always space for the rise of a dictator
- space at the top is empty, there is no one to lead
- Government control often leads to inefficiency
- insufficienct resource allocation
- when communism is applied to a big scale, it fails
- it works in small communities like OSHO ashram in USA
- rajneeshpuram
- it works in small communities like OSHO ashram in USA
- communist countries struggle to trade with capitalist economies
- ex. north korea remains isolated and economically stagnant due to its strict communist policies.
Marx’s Idea vs Reality
- Marx’s Vision: A classless, stateless society where everyone owns the means of production together.
- Reality: Every attempt at communism led to a powerful government controlling everything, because someone had to manage the system.
What are the 4 sectors of the Economy
- Primary - extraction and production of raw materials
- Secondary - manufacturing sector
- Tertiary - Service Sector
- Quaternary - Knowledge, Research And Development Sector
What does the 1. Primary Sector consist of?
- Primary - extraction and production of raw materials
- mining
- fishing
- farming
- dominant in LEDCs
countries rich in natural resources heavily rely on primary sector for economic growth and export revenue, like saudi arabia
What does the
2. Secondary Sector consist of?
- transforms raw materials into finished goods
- using low value raw material to create high value products
- using low value raw material to create high value products
- ex. raw wool → quality wool for sweaters
manufacturing powerhouses like china (chinese toys flooded in indian market) and germany (german car companies like audi, bmw, mercedes flooding the global market) have strong secondary sectors, driving industrial production and exports of manufactured goods.
What does the 3. Tertiary Sector consist of?
- providing services to consumers and businesses
- focuses on intangible services like:
- retailing manufactured goods
- offering insurance
- providing banking services
- hospitality
- healthcare
- transportation
advanced economies like USA (wall street) and UK (city of london) have well-developed service sectors, hence contributing significantly to GDP through financial services, healthcare, tourism etc.
wall street and city of london are global financial hubs
