Evoluzione e impatto della società industriale e della rivoluzione tecnologica

The industrial society

Caratteristiche della società industriale

The fundamental traits that distinguish an industrial society are:

1. income is produced by the economic sector that transforms raw materials into manufactured products by applying labour and technology;

2. employment in the secondary sector is the majority;

3. all industrial production is destined for the market;

4.the factory is the fundamental production unit;

5. production is mechanised;

6. technological change plays a key role and is rapid.

What was the industrial revolution

Rivoluzione industriale: un cambiamento profondo

"Revolution" indicates a profound and relatively rapid change in the economy, politics or culture. There was a strong quantitative growth of all economic factors accompanied by profound qualitative changes in the organization of industrial production due to an industrial take-off. This is how industrial society was born.

The conditions of development
1. Existence of an agricultural surplus, i.e. surpluses produced by agriculture. The agricultural revolution provided investment capital;

2. the availability of cheap labour;

3. the development of international trade;

4. population growth;

5. the absence of internal customs barriers;

6. good supply of natural resources (coal and iron);

7. a modern transport system.

The three technological phases of the industrial revolution

Fasi tecnologiche della rivoluzione industriale

1. A first phase characterised by the mechanisation of cotton spinning and the introduction of new methods in the steel industry;

2. a second phase in which the development of mechanical weaving and the steam machine took place;

3. finally, a third phase in which the railways entered the scene.