The Industrial Revolution: Economic and Social Transformation
The Industrial Revolution
Demographic and Agricultural Expansion
The Industrial Revolution occurred in Britain during the 18th century (XVIII) as a result of economic and technological changes. It led to a transformation of the economy and society.
The Demographic Revolution (XVIII)
Europe experienced a period of population growth, with Britain witnessing a particularly high and rapid growth rate.
Causes of Demographic Change:
- Increased food production
- Advances in hygiene
- Progress in medicine
Consequences of Demographic Change:
- Reduction in mortality rates
- Maintenance or a slight increase in birth rates
- Increase in life expectancy
The Agricultural Revolution
Increased demand for food led to higher prices, stimulating production.
Stimulating Production:
- Laws were passed allowing landowners to freely make changes to their lands.
- Elimination of fallow
Cultivation Techniques:
- Suspension of fallow and its replacement with fodder crops
- Increased mechanization of farming
- Introduction of new crops like corn and potatoes
- Expansion of livestock, leading to a richer and more varied diet
Agricultural Advances:
- Norfolk System: No land was left idle, ensuring food for animals.
- Sowing Mechanics: Parallel rows enabled efficient crop collection.
- New Rotherham Plows: Better land preparation and seed protection from wind and animals.
Industrial Capitalism
The Industrial Revolution gave rise to capitalism and liberalism.
Liberalism and Capitalism (XVIII)
Adam Smith was a key figure in promoting these ideologies.
Principles of Liberalism:
- Individuals pursuing their own self-interest leads to maximum benefit for society.
- Free markets are the engine of the economy.
- The law of supply and demand balances the market.
- Every seller has the right to set their own prices.
Industrial Capitalism:
- Private ownership of the means of production
- The bourgeoisie as the capitalist class
- Factory workers receiving wages for their labor
- Lack of planning and production leading to economic crises
- Crises resulting from supply outpacing demand
- Increased worker exploitation
Banks and Finance
Banks played a crucial role by providing loans for stock purchases and facilitating payments through checks and bills of exchange. They became intermediaries in financial transactions. Corporations emerged, dividing capital into shares that could be bought and sold on stock exchanges.
Expansion of Industrial Capitalism
1800-1830 (Belgium)
- Rapid industrialization
- Importance of the mining sector
- Active role of the state in promoting industrial development
- Creation of the Belgian banking system (Société Générale – 1830)
Industries:
- Textile: Cotton (Ghent region), Wool (Verviers), Flax (Flanders)
- Metallurgy: Steel (around Liege)
1850-1870 (France)
- Slow industrialization due to land distribution among peasants after the French Revolution, resulting in slow migration from rural areas to cities
- State promotion of industrial development
Zollverein Customs Union (Germany)
- Significant role of German regions in industrialization
- Cotton textile industry
- Importance of a technical education system applied to industry
- Leading industries: railroad development, mining, steel, and metallurgy
The Second Phase of Industrialization
During the 19th century (XIX), Britain’s economic leadership began to spread to Germany, the USA, and Japan. This marked the Second Industrial Revolution.
The New Industries and New Sources of Energy
Electricity replaced coal and oil as the primary energy sources.
Electricity
Major applications in industry, transportation, communication, and lighting.
Oil
- First extractions in the United States (XIX)
- Invention of the internal combustion engine (1885) for automobiles
- Essential means of transport (XX)
- Faster navigation and increased ship capacity
- First flight by the Wright brothers (1903)
Industry
- Metallurgy: new metals like steel and aluminum
- Automobile: invention of the utility car by Henry Ford
Chemistry
- Germany: development of new fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals, dyes, and pharmaceuticals
- Reinforced concrete, enabling the construction of skyscrapers
A New Industrial Organization
The 19th Century
- Mass production: increased production, reduced costs, and manufacturing time
- Taylorism: specialization of workers in specific tasks to eliminate unnecessary movements
- Ford factory as one of the first to implement Taylorism
- Increased production and lower costs as a result of Taylorism
- Major capital investments in technological innovations
- Agreements to restrict competition, fix prices, and establish areas of influence
Cartel:
Agreement between different companies.
Trust:
Merger of companies.
Holding:
Financial group that owns a majority of shares in a set of companies and banks.
Monopoly:
Exclusive right of a firm to market a product.
Marxism, Anarchism, and Internationalism
Thinkers denounced the inequalities of capitalism and proposed new models of social organization.
Marxism and Socialism
19th Century (Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels)
- Advocated for a workers’ revolution to overthrow capitalism
- Workers seizing political power to create a state that would grant them ownership of the means of production
- Elimination of social classes and the state to establish a communist society
In the late 19th century, Marxists proposed the creation of socialist workers’ parties to advocate for workers’ rights (universal suffrage, progressive income tax, eight-hour workday).
Anarchism
A group of thinkers, including Proudhon, Bakunin, and Kropotkin, shared these principles:
Three Principles:
- Exaltation of individual freedom and social solidarity
- Critique of private property and advocacy for collective ownership
- Rejection of authority
Defense:
- Revolutionary action by workers and peasants to destroy the state
- Creation of a collective and egalitarian society
Internationalism
Both Marxists and anarchists believed in the need to unite the efforts of the working class to fight capitalism.
1864 (Marx)
: He created lAssociació International workers. Shi joined, Marxists, anarchists and trade unionists. Lany disappeared in 1876, not because Marxists and anarchists Savena. 1889 (Socialist): founded in Paris II international. It was only by socialists. He created some of the symbols didentitat labor movement, as party of the first illustrations lhimne May.