|
Reasons why the Industrial Revolution began
. The Industrial Revolution began in G.B. because social ,political
and legal conditions were particularly favourable to change. Britain
was in quite a unique position. At that time, it was the only country
in the world that had all the right ingredients in place for
industrial growth to take off. Firstly and most importantly, there was
a rising population. Between 1751 and 1851, the population of Britain
had more than doubled. This created a demand for goods, which in turn
stimulated growth and provided a labour force. Population growth was
not unique to Britain at that time, but it was the country in the best
position to meet its demands. Britain had ready access to all the raw
materials it required, such as wood for charcoal, coal, iron ore,
wool, and cotton .Britain was also at war with France; this in itself
created an extra demand for goods, but it also taught Britain to be
self-sufficient. Cut off from the rest of Europe by Napoleon, Britain
had to look for other trade routes. Its citizens also had to learn how
to manufacture many of the goods they needed themselves, as they could
no longer purchase them from their neighbours, thereby forcing the
introduction and development of new ideas. Britain also had the people
to exploit these resources through their innovative new
industrialists. Many were non-conformists, isolated from the rest of
society and unable to enter fields like politics, so they chose to
shine through business and industry. The British Government at the
time was purposefully laissez-faire towards business, allowing it to
develop by itself, making Britain arguably freer to develop than most
countries, enabling the new industrialists to prosper.
Agrarian Revolution
Change and development is continious in the history of any nation .In
some conditions development
Is so slow that the pattern of society barely seems to change in the
course of centuries.At other times
Circumstances combine to alter social and economic life so rapidly
that the change can be noted in the
Life of an individual. After centuries of comparatively slow
development in Britain, from the middle of
The 18th century ,became involved in a series of rapid agrarian and
industrial changes which both to
Contemporaries and to after generations appeared revolutionary.
The factors which brought about the greatest changes in the existing
system were the adoption of new
Farming techniques ,machines and methods , the enclosure of open
fields and the growing population.
New farming techniques consisted of improvements in crop rotation ,
soil fertilization and selective
Breeding allied with the development of new machinery.
Four names are co |