English Industrial Revolution

English Industrial Revolution

The industrial society

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

"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

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.