The Industrial Revolution: Causes, Impact & Socialism

Unit 3.1 (Causes and Spread of the IR) Causes of the Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution began in Britain around 1750 and was a major turning point in history. It changed society from farming communities using simple tools to industrial cities powered by machines and factories. People...

Unit 3.1 (Causes and Spread of the IR) Causes of the Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution began in Britain around 1750 and was a major turning point in history. It changed society from farming communities using simple tools to industrial cities powered by machines and factories. People moved to cities, new inventions were made, and the way people lived and worked changed completely. By the mid-1800s, it had spread to other parts of Europe and North America. Before industrialization, the Agricultural Revolution helped prepare the way. Farmers started using better methods like crop rotation, where crops like wheat, barley, turnips, and clover were planted in a cycle to keep soil healthy. This replaced the old three-field system and increased food production. Another change was selective breeding, introduced by Robert Bakewell, who bred animals with good traits to produce healthier, larger livestock. This provided more meat and wool. At the same time, farmers improved their feed with crops like turnips and clover, which helped soil stay rich and kept animals strong through winter. Tools like Jethro Tull’s seed drill (1701) allowed seeds to be planted in neat rows, which boosted farming efficiency. Machines like threshers also helped. Because of all these changes, food supply grew, the population increased, and many rural workers moved to cities to work in factories. Before factories, there was the cottage industry, also called the putting-out system. Merchants gave wool or cotton to families in villages. Women spun thread, men wove it into cloth, and children helped with small jobs like carding wool. Merchants picked up the finished cloth and sold it in local and international markets. This system helped families earn extra income while still farming. However, it had problems: it was slow, and the quality was inconsistent. As demand grew, it couldn’t keep up. New machines like the spinning jenny (1764) and water frame helped solve this by speeding up textile production. These machines were too big for homes, so factories started being built. Factory work was faster and more organized. This shift helped build a global trade network, especially for cotton from India and the American South, where enslaved labor was used. Britain’s colonial trade, supported by laws like the Navigation Acts, gave merchants control over shipping and increased profits. At the same time, the Industrious Revolution was happening, between 1600 and 1800. People started working more hours and making goods for the market instead of just for themselves. Families earned more income, bought more goods, and helped create a consumer culture. This encouraged businesses to invest in machines and factory systems. People also got used to wage labor and time schedules, which made it easier for them to adjust to factory jobs later on. Another major change was the Enclosure Movement. Before, land was shared by villagers, called commons. But this system had problems like overgrazing and disputes. Wealthy landowners started enclosing (fencing off) land to create bigger, private farms. Parliament passed Enclosure Acts that allowed this. Enclosed farms used crop rotation, selective breeding, and machines more easily. This made farming more productive and profitable. But many small farmers lost their land and couldn’t survive. Some became tenant farmers, but many moved to cities and became wage laborers. This process is called proletarianization — when people lose their land and start working for wages instead. These workers became the labor force that factories needed to grow. In summary, the Industrial Revolution happened because of many connected causes. The Agricultural Revolution made more food and freed up workers. The cottage industry started manufacturing at home but couldn’t keep up, which led to factories. The Industrious Revolution changed work habits and boosted demand for goods. The Enclosure Movement pushed people into cities and created a labor force. All of these changes worked together to start the Industrial Revolution and shape the modern world. Beginnings of the Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution was a time when people stopped making things by hand and started using machines. It began in Britain in the mid-1700s. Before this, people lived on small farms. Rich landowners started buying these farms and made big fenced farms called enclosures. They used new tools like the seed drill and new ideas like crop rotation to grow more food. Farmers like Jethro Tull helped with inventions. Breeders like Robert Bakewell made animals bigger by picking the best ones to breed. Because of this, there was more food, and more people were born. This meant more workers and more demand for goods like clothes. Britain had many good things that helped it start the Industrial Revolution. It had coal and water for energy, iron to make machines, rivers to move stuff, and harbors for ships. It also had rich people to invest money, banks that gave loans, and a government that supported business. All of this helped build factories and start industrialization (making things with machines instead of by hand). The first big change happened in the textile industry (cloth making). New machines made cloth faster. John Kay made the flying shuttle that helped weavers. Then James Hargreaves made the spinning jenny which let one person spin many threads at once. Richard Arkwright made the water frame, and Samuel Crompton made the spinning mule, which made strong thread. Later, Edmund Cartwright made the power loom, which made weaving faster. These machines were too big for homes, so factories were built near rivers. Britain used cotton from American plantations, but it was hard to clean. In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which cleaned cotton fast. This helped the textile industry grow a lot. Transportation also got better. James Watt made a better steam engine, and Robert Fulton used steam to make the first steamboat. Roads got better too, thanks to John McAdam, who built strong roads with layers of rock. People had to pay to use them, and they were called turnpikes. Then came railroads. Richard Trevithick built the first steam train, and George Stephenson made a fast one called the Rocket. The Liverpool-Manchester railway opened in 1830 and was a big success. Trains changed life. They made it cheap to move goods, gave people jobs, helped farmers sell food far away, and let people travel. The Industrial Revolution changed how people worked, lived, and moved. Technological and Economic Impact: Economies of Scale: When factories made more goods, the cost to make each item went down. This made things like cars, clothes, and household items cheaper for everyone. Henry Ford’s assembly line was a great example — it made cars faster and cheaper, helping to create modern mass production and consumer culture. Coal: Coal became the main energy source. It powered steam engines, machines, and transport. This boosted coal mining, which created jobs but also exposed workers to dangerous conditions. Labor Changes: New machines meant fewer skilled workers were needed, so many artisans lost their jobs. Factory jobs increased, but the work was hard, repetitive, and often unsafe. Even children worked for very low pay in tough environments. Economic Impact: As machines improved, productivity grew and economies expanded. But this also made the rich industrial owners richer and left workers in poor, crowded cities, often struggling. Big Picture: New technology changed how things were made, moved, and communicated. These changes were key to the Industrial Revolution and helped build the world’s modern economy. Child Labor in the Industrial Revolution: During the Industrial Revolution, child labor became very common because many families were extremely poor. Even when parents worked long hours—often more than 14 hours a day—they still couldn’t earn enough money to support their children. As a result, families sent their children to work in factories, mills, and mines to help bring in extra income. Most of these children were under the age of 15, and some were as young as 5 or 6. Factory owners preferred hiring children because they could be paid very little and were small enough to fit into tight spaces that adults couldn’t reach. The working conditions for child laborers were extremely harsh. Children worked between 12 to 16 hours a day, six days a week, with very few breaks. They often lived in crowded dorms with hundreds of other children, away from their families. The environments were dirty, dangerous, and exhausting. In textile factories, children had to work around large machines that could easily injure them. In coal mines, they crawled through narrow tunnels and carried heavy loads, which was very risky and harmful to their health. Many children were hurt, became sick, or even died from these working conditions. Overall, child labor during the Industrial Revolution was physically and emotionally damaging, and it highlighted the need for future labor reforms and protections for children. Vocab Review 3.1: Technological Vocab: Spinning Jenny (1764) – A machine that let one person spin many threads at the same time. This made thread production much faster than old spinning wheels. It sped up textile work and meant factories didn’t need as many skilled hand-spinners anymore. Water Frame (1769) – A spinning machine that used water power to work automatically. It was more efficient and didn’t need as much human labor. It helped move textile work from homes to big factories. Power Loom (1787) – A machine that wove cloth automatically. It made weaving much faster and reduced the need for skilled weavers. Many lost their jobs, and textile work moved to factories where speed mattered more than skill. Steam Engine (Improved by James Watt, 1769) – A machine that used steam to create power. It gave factories and transportation (like trains) a steady energy source. Factories no longer had to be near rivers and could grow in cities. Trains also became faster and more useful thanks to steam. Blast Furnace & Puddling Process – These improved how iron was made. The iron became stronger and cheaper, which helped build machines, trains, railways, and bridges. This helped industries grow even faster. Steam Locomotive & Railroads – Steam-powered trains and railroad tracks helped move people and goods quickly and cheaply. They connected cities, boosted trade, and made it easier for factories to get raw materials and ship finished products. Telephone (Alexander Graham Bell, 1876) – This invention let people talk to each other over long distances instantly. It helped businesses and factories work better together and made trade faster and more organized. Assembly Line (Early 1900s) – A system where each worker does one small job over and over as the product moves down a line. It made large numbers of goods quickly and cheaply. Everything came out the same and less got wasted. But the work was boring and workers didn’t have much control over what they made. Telegraph – A device that sent coded messages (Morse Code) over long distances using wires and electric signals. Invented by Samuel Morse, it made communication much faster. Agricultural Revolution – A period when farming greatly improved through new methods and inventions, leading to increased food production, better nutrition, and a growing population. Crop Rotation – The practice of planting different crops in the same field each year to keep the soil rich and productive. For example, farmers rotated wheat, barley, clover, and turnips because each used or returned different nutrients to the soil, helping it stay fertile and improving harvests. Seed Drill – A farming tool invented by Jethro Tull that planted seeds evenly in rows and at the right depth, which reduced waste and improved crop growth. Enclosure Movement – When wealthy landowners fenced off common land that used to be shared by villagers. This forced many small farmers to leave the countryside and move to cities, where they became industrial workers. Industrialization – The shift from handmade goods to machine-made products, which took place in factories and led to mass production, faster work, and economic growth. Urbanization – The rapid growth of cities caused by people moving from rural areas to urban centers to work in factories. Factory – A large building where machines and workers are brought together to produce goods on a large scale. Textile – Woven cloth or fabric. The textile industry, which produced cotton, wool, and linen, was the first to industrialize and led to many new inventions. James Watt – A Scottish inventor who improved the steam engine, making it more efficient and helping to power the Industrial Revolution. Alexander Graham Bell – The inventor of the telephone, which allowed people to speak to each other over long distances. James Hargreaves – The inventor of the Spinning Jenny, which revolutionized textile production by allowing multiple spools of thread to be spun at the same time. Samuel Morse – The inventor of the telegraph and creator of Morse Code, which allowed fast, long-distance communication using electrical signals. Eli Whitney – Invented the cotton gin and developed the idea of interchangeable parts, which made mass production in factories easier. Tenements – Crowded and poorly built apartment buildings where many factory workers and their families lived during the Industrial Revolution, often in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Unions – Groups of workers who joined together to demand better wages, safer working conditions, and fair treatment from their employers. Unit 3.2 (Impact of the IR): Liberalism: Political Liberalism Liberalism is a political idea that focuses on freedom for individuals, equality under the law, and limited government power. Thinkers like John Locke and Rousseau inspired it. They believed government should protect people's rights—not control them. Liberals wanted rulers to be chosen by the people, not kings who claim power by birth. They supported constitutions to protect freedoms and stop abuse of power. They also believed everyone should be equal under the law, not just the rich or noble class. Economic Freedom and Adam Smith Liberals also wanted economic freedom. The key thinker was Adam Smith, a Scottish economist who wrote The Wealth of Nations in 1776. He believed governments should not control the economy. Instead, free trade, competition, and private businesses would help everyone become richer. He lived during the Scottish Enlightenment, a time of new ideas and inventions in Scotland. He saw how government rules and old trade policies hurt the economy and wanted change. Against Mercantilism At that time, most European countries followed mercantilism. This system had high taxes on trade, government control, and believed wealth came from gold and silver. Smith disagreed. He said wealth comes from how much a country can produce and trade. He introduced the idea of the “invisible hand”—when people work for their own gain, they help the whole economy grow. Smith also disliked monopolies, like the British East India Company, which made prices high and blocked competition. Industrial Revolution and Liberalism Smith’s ideas became popular during the Industrial Revolution, when new machines and factories changed how people lived and worked. A new group of people—entrepreneurs and factory owners—rose to power. They liked Smith’s idea of “laissez-faire” (leave it alone), meaning less government control. They believed governments should protect rights and enforce rules, but not control businesses. But this wasn’t perfect—many workers faced low pay and bad working conditions. Even Smith believed some rules were needed to stop abuse. Rise of Entrepreneurs and a New Class Liberalism helped create a new class of entrepreneurs—people who took risks to build businesses. Before, only the rich or noble had power. Now, anyone could succeed through work and ideas. Entrepreneurs like Carnegie (steel), Rockefeller (oil), and James Watt (steam engines) changed the world. But this also caused conflict. The old aristocrats wanted tradition and control, while industrialists wanted freedom and innovation. Over time, business owners gained more political power. However, the wealth gap grew—some became very rich while workers stayed poor. This led to new movements like socialism and labor unions that wanted more fairness. Conclusion: Lasting Impact of Economic Liberalism Adam Smith’s ideas and economic liberalism helped shape today’s capitalism. By ending mercantilism and supporting free markets, they encouraged growth, innovation, and social mobility. But they also caused exploitation and inequality. These problems led to debates that still continue today: How much should the government control the economy to protect people, while still allowing freedom for businesses? Artisan Guilds: What Were Guilds and How Did They Work? Guilds were groups of skilled workers—like shoemakers or blacksmiths—that controlled how goods were made and sold in towns. They made sure products were high quality, trained new workers (called apprentices), and tried to keep wages stable by limiting competition. Guilds gave exclusive rights to their members, meaning only they could do certain types of work. These groups became very powerful between the 1200s and 1700s. Guilds helped cities stay organized and supported their members with training, jobs, and even community events. Cities were full of small workshops and markets where artisans sold their work. Guild halls were important buildings where people met, celebrated, and helped each other. However, guilds had strict rules. Most members were local-born men, and they didn’t allow women, foreigners, or poor laborers to join easily. This made it hard for others to move up in society. Guilds and Mercantilism During the time of mercantilism—an economic system where governments tried to control trade—guilds worked closely with kings, like Louis XIV in France. The government gave guilds special rights, and in return, guilds made high-quality products and paid taxes. But these strict rules limited new ideas and stopped industries from growing. Over time, merchants started using a new system called the cottage industry (or putting-out system), where they gave raw materials to rural workers outside the city to make goods more cheaply. This helped merchants avoid guild rules and grow their businesses, weakening the power of the guilds. The Rise of the Cottage Industry The cottage industry let merchants make more goods at lower costs by using rural workers instead of guild members. This change: Took away guilds' control over who made goods.  Helped merchants grow their trade across countries. Started new business ideas that led to factories. As merchants became more independent, they pushed forward industrialization, which moved work from small workshops to big factories and replaced guilds with free markets. Adam Smith’s Criticism of Guilds In 1776, Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations and criticized guilds. He said: Guilds acted like monopolies, keeping prices high and stopping new ideas. Factories that divided work into small tasks were more efficient. Free markets and competition would help society grow richer. Smith believed in laissez-faire, which means “let things be” without government control. He thought people’s self-interest would help the whole economy through the “invisible hand.” His ideas helped convince governments to remove guild privileges and support free trade. The Industrial Revolution and the Fall of Guilds During the Industrial Revolution, many guilds lost power. Governments wanted factory jobs and free trade, so they: Ended guild rights in many places. Replaced handmade crafts with machines that made products faster and cheaper. Forced many skilled workers into factories with longer hours and lower pay. Caused small urban workshops to close as people moved to big cities for work. This created more job opportunities, but also more struggles for workers. Many couldn’t adjust to factory life, which led to early protests and the rise of labor movements asking for better working conditions. Conclusion Guilds used to be very important in towns, helping workers and protecting the quality of products. But as the world moved toward factories and free markets, guilds were seen as a barrier to progress. Some people believed they were helpful for workers, while others thought they slowed down economic growth. Even today, countries still try to balance between letting businesses grow and making sure workers are treated fairly. Utopian Socialism: What Is Socialism? Socialism is an idea that wealth and businesses should be shared or controlled by everyone or the government. It came as a reaction to industrial capitalism, which made a few people rich but left many workers poor. Socialists believed in equality, cooperation, and helping everyone—not just profits. Why Did Socialism Start? In the early 1800s, the Industrial Revolution caused: ○ Long working hours (14–16 hrs/day) ○ Low pay for women and children ○ Unsafe working conditions ○ Loss of jobs for skilled artisans The government supported factory owners and banned unions (until 1824), making it hard for workers to fight back. Utopian Socialism: A Peaceful Dream Utopian socialism imagined perfect communities where everyone shared and lived equally. Utopians didn’t want violence—they believed change could come through example and cooperation. Critics said these ideas were too idealistic and hard to use in real life. Key Utopian Socialist Thinkers:  Henri de Saint-Simon: Wanted scientists and engineers to lead society. Believed in job creation and reducing poverty. Charles Fourier: Wanted self-sufficient communities called phalanxes. Believed in gender equality and free love. Robert Owen: A factory owner who gave workers better pay, housing, and education. Tried to build a utopia in Indiana, U.S. called New Harmony, but it failed. Socialism vs. Liberalism Liberalism Early Socialism Believed in free markets Wanted government control or public ownership Supported competition Believed competition caused inequality Opposed government Supported planning and fair wages interference Focused on profit Wanted everyone to benefit from industry More Radical Socialist Ideas Louis Blanc: ○ Wanted universal voting to help workers. ○ Believed in state-funded workshops to give people fair jobs. ○ Said “the right to work” was as important as voting. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: ○ Said “property is theft”—a few people owning everything was unfair. ○ Wanted cooperative businesses, run by workers. ○ Opposed big governments; preferred small, self-managed worker groups. End of Utopian Socialism By the mid-1800s, socialism had spread across Europe, especially in France. Utopian socialism faded, but it inspired future movements like unions, cooperatives, and Marxism. The fight for workers' rights and economic fairness continued with more organized and radical socialist ideas. Marxist Socialism: Alienation and False Consciousness Alienation: Workers feel disconnected from their work because the products they make belong to the bosses, not to them. They feel isolated, not part of a community, and their creativity is taken away. False consciousness: Workers are tricked into thinking their unfair situation is normal or okay. This stops them from fighting back against the system. Class Struggle and Revolution Society is divided into: ○ Bourgeoisie: Factory/business owners. ○ Proletariat: Working class who sell their labor. The rich exploit workers by paying them less than the value of what they make. As this unfairness grows, Marx believed workers would rise up, overthrow capitalism, and start a fairer system. Socialism and Communism (Marx’s Vision) Socialism: A system where the working class controls factories and wealth is shared more fairly. It’s a step toward a better society.  Communism: The final goal—a classless society where there’s no private ownership and everything is shared equally. People would work together for the common good and no one would be richer or poorer than others. Industrial Capitalism The Industrial Revolution brought machines and factories, changing how things were made. Bourgeoisie owned the factories and made profits. Proletariat did the work but got paid very little. Marx said this created a system of exploitation and conflict between classes. Marxist Socialism Early socialists like Owen and Fourier dreamed of peaceful, equal communities. Marx agreed with their goals but said real change needs to come through class struggle, not just ideas. He disagreed with economists like Adam Smith, who didn’t see how unfair capitalism really was. Marx believed that to fix society, we need to understand how work, wealth, and power are connected. Karl Marx’s Life and Work Born in 1818 in Germany, studied philosophy, history, and economics. Lived in Paris, Brussels, and London, where he saw how capitalism hurt workers. Wrote:  ○ The Communist Manifesto (1848) – called workers to unite. ○ Capital (1867) – explained how capitalism works and why it’s unfair. His ideas became the foundation for Marxist socialism and inspired many future political movements. Unit 3.2 Vocab Overview: Capitalism: An economic system where businesses and industries are owned by individuals or companies. Based on private property, competition, and profit. Socialism: A system where the government or community owns businesses and resources. Aims to reduce inequality and provide for everyone’s needs. Communism: A classless society with no private property. Everything is shared equally, and people work for the good of all. Bourgeoisie: The wealthy class that owns factories, land, and businesses in capitalist societies. Exploitation: When workers are treated unfairly—paid less than the value of what they produce.  Bosses profit while workers struggle. Surplus Value: The extra money made by bosses after paying workers less than what their labor is really worth. A key idea in Marx’s theory of exploitation. Social Class: A group of people with similar wealth, jobs, and social status (like rich, middle, or working class). Proletariat: The working class who have to sell their labor to survive. Often exploited under capitalism. Labor: Human work or effort, especially used to produce goods and services. Free Market: An economy where prices and business choices are made by private individuals, not the government. Based on supply and demand. Artisan Guilds: Groups of skilled workers who controlled crafts and trades in towns before industrialization.  Set rules for training, quality, and who could work. Utopian Socialism: Early form of socialism that imagined perfect, peaceful communities with shared property. Didn’t call for revolution. Combination Acts: British laws (1799–1800) that banned workers from forming unions or going on strike. Repealed in 1824. Henri de Saint-Simon: Early socialist who wanted scientists and engineers to lead society. Supported planning the economy to reduce poverty. Charles Fourier: Utopian socialist who wanted people to live in small, self-sufficient communities (phalanxes). Supported gender equality and free relationships. Robert Owen: A factory owner who treated workers well and created a model community in Scotland. Tried to build a utopian town in the U.S. (New Harmony). Louis Blanc:  French socialist who believed in the “right to work.” Wanted state-funded jobs and universal voting rights for workers. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: Radical socialist who said “property is theft.” Wanted worker-run cooperatives and small self-managed communities. Laissez-Faire: An idea meaning “let it be”—the government shouldn’t interfere in the economy. Tariffs: Taxes placed on imported goods to protect local businesses or raise government money. Alienation: A feeling of being disconnected from one’s work, self, or community. Marx said workers feel alienated under capitalism. Adam Smith: A Scottish economist who supported capitalism and free markets. Wrote The Wealth of Nations. Mercantilism: An old economic system where governments controlled trade to build national wealth using gold, silver, and colonies. False Consciousness: When workers wrongly believe their unfair treatment is normal or fair. Prevents them from fighting for change. Karl Marx: A German thinker who criticized capitalism and created the theory of communism. Wrote The Communist Manifesto and Capital. The Wealth of Nations (1776): A book by Adam Smith that supported capitalism, free markets, and limited government control. The Communist Manifesto (1848): A political pamphlet by Marx and Engels calling for workers to rise up and replace capitalism with communism.