Medieval Period and Pre-Industrial Society

Pre-Industrial Revolution

• During the Medieval Period, agriculture was the main occupation, and every village was self-sufficient.
• Villages had their own skilled workers, such as weavers, blacksmiths, and carpenters, who used simple tools to make goods at home.
• The domestic system of production was characterized by local production and trade, with artisans selling finished products to local communities.
• The exploration and discovery of new lands led to an increase in overseas trade and commerce, and the growth of towns and cities, resulting in a wealthy middle class.
• The demand for consumer and luxury items increased, but the domestic system could not cope with this growing demand due to inadequate and slow production methods.

The Transition to Industrial Revolution

• The "putting out" system emerged as a modified and more effective system, where merchants supplied raw materials to artisans who worked at home or in workshops, and later sold the finished products in distant markets.

Industrial Revolution

• The Industrial Revolution was an economic revolution in England in the mid-18th century, characterized by a series of remarkable inventions that transformed the entire economy and society.

Causes of the Industrial Revolution in England

• Surplus capital accumulated from trade led to investment in new industries and factories.
• Political stability in England created favorable conditions for growth.
• The agricultural revolution, which included the consolidation of land, changes in agricultural methods, and the introduction of new machinery, increased production.
• The availability of cheap labor, resulting from mechanization of production and large-scale unemployment, led to people migrating to towns and taking jobs at low wages.
• The Enclosure Movement resulted in the takeover of land by rich merchants, who owned factories.

Features of the Industrial Revolution

• The domestic system of production was replaced by the factory system.
• Manual labor was replaced by machinery, and small-scale production gave way to large-scale production.
• Power-driven machines replaced simple tools, and large-scale mass manufacture of goods was carried out in factories.
• Factories, including resources and means of production, were owned by rich merchants or capitalists.