Module 6The Industrial Revolution and Society

1750–1914

Explaining the Industrial Revolution • a great acceleration in the rate of technological innovation, leading to enormous increases in

the output of goods and services- new energy sources, increased energy output, a culture of innovation

1. Why Europe?• Before 1750 the major Eurasian civilizations were about equal technologically• greatest breakthrough was the steam engine• Patterns of European development favored innovation• European rulters had unusual alliance with merchant classes (contrast China, Japan, Ottomans)• contact with culturally different peoples encouraged change and innovation• Americas provided silver, raw materials, foods

2. Why Britain?• most commercialized of Europe’s larger countries• Small farmers pushed off land (enclosure movement), move to cities: ready supply of workers• Guilds mostly disappear• Aristocrats interested in commerce,• Commerce is worldwide, British East India/West India companies• British political life encourages economic innovation

– Religious toleration, tariffs to protect business, easy to form companies, unified internal market (canal and road system)

– Limitations on royal authority offers more freedom for private enterprise• Emphasis of Scientific Revolution different in Britain• Plenty of coal, iron and easy access• Britain not devasted by Napoleonic wars

The First Industrial Society• The British Aristocracy

– Declines because centers of urban wealth becomes more important– Businessmen lead major political parties by 1900, aristocrats less clout– Nobles retain great wealth, social prestige as does the monarchy

• Middle Classes– Gain the most from industrialization, some buy into aristocracy– Growing numbers of small businessmen, professionals

• Politically liberal: they emphasize thrift, hardwork, morality, cleanliness• Women cast as housewifes, mothers instead of workers• Growing role of service workers—clerks, secretaries—20% of British population(1900)

• Laboring Classes (70% of British in 19th century)– Suffered most, benefitted least from industrialization– London as largest city in world by 1900– Unsanitary living conditions, crowding, epidemics, crime, with few public service– Factories: long hours, low wages, child labor, women work– Routine and monotony of work, with direct supervision was new

• Social Protest– Skilled artisans begin to organize, at first in “friendly societies” to assist each other– Workers begin to join political movements to gain greater rights– Trade unions legalized in Great Britain, 1824—fight for better wages, working conditions

• Socialist ideas begin to spread– Karl Marx lays out full ideology, analyzing society as comprising owners of captial and exploited

workers– British working-class movement remains moderate, standard of living increases by 1900– Economic inequality remains (the British class system continues through 20 th century)

• Comparing Industrialization in US and Russia– By 1900,  industrialization had broadly similar outcomes wherever it was established: – aristocratic, artisanal, and peasant classes declined – middle-class women withdrew from paid labor altogether– trade unions and socialist movements established–  The United States: Industrialization without Socialism  

• American industrialization began with New England textiles (1820s)• explosive growth after the Civil War• by 1914, the United States was the world’s leading industrial power• Capital investment in US comes from Europe, U.S. government, entrepreneurs• absence of overt regulation  • pioneering of mass production techniques  • creation of a “culture of consumption” through advertising, catalogs, department stores • Social division continue: growing gap between rich/poor, slums, labor protest• Growth of populism, progressive political movements from 1900 onward

– Russian Industrialization / Revolution• Russia as absolute monarchy, no national parliament, no legal political parties• Titled nobility dominate, serfs (rural peasants) the majority of population

• Russian Industrial Revolution was launched by the 1890s – focused on railroads and heavy industry– substantial foreign investment – industry was concentrated in a few major cities, large factories  – growing middle class disliked Russia’s deep conservatism– Russian working class rapidly radicalized 

•  harsh conditions    •  no legal outlet for grievances   •  large-scale strikes 

• Insurrection breaks out in 1905, after Russia defeated by Japan– Moscow/St. Petersburg workers go on strike, create representative councils (“soviets”)– peasant uprisings, student demonstrations– non-Russian nationalities revolted– military mutiny– brutally suppressed, but forced the tsar’s regime to make reforms—fails to bring stability

• World War I provided the revolutionary moment– Russian Revolution broke out in 1917, brought the most radical to power: Bolsheviks– only in Russia did industrialization lead to violent social revolution

• The Industrial Revolution and Latin America in the Nineteenth Century• The four vice-royalties of Spanish America became eighteen separate countries• international wars hindered development of the new nations• Political life unstable, conservative forces backed by church were strong• Military strongmen (caudillos) gained power, worked in conjunction with US/European corporations to

develop extractive economies (agricultural—coffee, sugar, rubber, etc) using low paid labor

Slavery abolished (though not until late 1880s in Brazil and Cuba)• most legal distinctions between racial categories were abolished• but creole whites remained overwhelmingly in control• small middle class allowed social mobility for a few• the vast majority were impoverishedFacing the World Economy• after 1850: greater stability, integration into world economy• rapid growth of Latin American exports to industrializing countries• exported food products and raw materials• Becoming like Europe?

– rapid population increase– rapid urbanization– actively sought European immigrants– few people benefited from the export boom--over 90 percent of the population still lower-class

• Revolution in Mexico • overthrow of the dictator Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911) leads to major, bloody conflict (1910–1920• huge peasant armies• transformed Mexico• rich landowners and cattlemen vs peasants and urban poor• economic growth was dependent on Europe and North America

History and Horse Races: Who’s first, who’s superior