The First Industrial Revolution Essay Example

Before the 18th century, life moved much slower. People living in villages would rely on other people in the community to provide for them. Goods were made by hand and, for the most part, were only traded locally. Jobs in agriculture were important and required a significant amount of labor. Energy relied on wood and fuel. Transportation was difficult and slow. Poverty was seasonal for many people due to the slow periods of being a farmer. The Industrial Revolution transformed and introduced new methods of work and rapidly advanced production in Britain. This would eventually spread far beyond its birthplace and reach all over the world.

The first Industrial Revolution began in the mid-18th century and lasted until around 1830. The second industrial revolution, as stated previously, spread away from Britain and into Europe, North America, Japan, and other parts of the world. An article titled “Industrial Revolution” written by the website History begins with “The Industrial Revolution marked a period of development in the latter half of the 18th century that transformed largely rural, agrarian societies in Europe and America into industrialized, urban ones.” The article goes on to demonstrate how industries advanced with new technology. Transportation, Communication, and “the impact of steam power” were the important factors mentioned, but it also spoke about how the new mechanized production increased the demand of goods. As a result of this demand of goods, other industries grew exponentially. National Geographic provides a great example of this, saying “Huge increases in the production of goods and produce led to a need for better transportation systems. Producers needed faster ways to get their goods to market.” Roads and canals were developed, while steamboats and railroads became immensely popular.

One thing that makes it hard to determine the actual success of this transformation is the other factors that greatly affected the economy. Clark Nardinelli describes this, in the article by Econlib, by saying, “For example, the positive effect of the industrial revolution may well have been offset by the negative effect of frequent wars (the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812) and the high taxes that accompanied them.” He also explained that “misguided government policies, rapid population growth, and the costs of transforming preindustrial workers into a modern labor force” were also factors. It is difficult to determine how the Industrial Revolution positively or negatively affected the standard of living because the many other variables that came into play. Nardinelli summarizes this idea stating, “In other words, the net effect of the industrial revolution was strongly positive but was largely offset by the negative effects of rapid population growth.”

Of course, there were some problems that arose as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Perhaps the most well-known problems being child labor, and mass amounts of people working long and hard hours for very little pay. The article Britannica states, “However, the replacement of the domestic system of industrial production, in which independent craftspersons worked in or near their homes, with the factory system and mass production consigned large numbers of people, including women and children, to long hours of tedious and often dangerous work at subsistence wages.” The poor conditions that the workers were subjected to caused trade unions to form among the working class. The purpose of trade unions was to improve conditions relating to “pay, benefits, working conditions, or social and political status through collective bargaining.” Eventually, these unions received better treatment, and laws were passed that represented fair provisions and their negotiated demands.

The transition that took place in the Industrial Revolution is one that paved the way for many generations to come. The beginning of mechanical use accelerated production and grew the economy. It is the foundation of the technological world which, even today, continues to grow rapidly. While it is difficult to accurately assess the success of the Industrial Revolution, it remains clear that it is one of the most important revolutions in history.