Industrial Revolutions

Revolution: A Perpetual Process in the Human Spirit

Revolution is not something related to ideology, nor is it a fashion of a particular decade. It is a perpetual process inherent in the human spirit. — Abbie Hoffman

Understanding the Meaning of Revolution

When we talk about the word “revolution” we have to clearly understand the meaning that the term itself has. Revolution means “Radical transformation”, overturning of an order and the etymology comes from Latin: revolutionem, by revolutus. Revolutions can be politicals, socials or industrial.

The Industrial Revolution

The term “industrial revolution” was first used by French writers, but made popular by English economic historian Harnold Toynbee and defines a social and productive transformation due to the change of entrepreneurial mindset and new technologies. Retracing the centuries of history, we can identify 4 main industrial revolutions that have led to a transformation of man’s lifestyle and his natural habitat.

1st Industrial Revolution

The First Revolution developed in England between 1760 and 1890 and subsequently spread to some Western European countries and the United States. It was characterized by new inventions such as the steam engine and the use of coal as a source of energy.

England in that period was characterized by economic and social factors that allowed the beginning of this process, including the availability of capital to invest, raw materials, energy sources and demand for industrial manufactures, adequate means of communication and transport, low-cost labour offers.

Production grew to a period of slowing economic development: the Great Depression. This was due to deflation: there was high competition for cheap agricultural products which were exported to the European market.

2nd Industrial Revolution

The second Industrial Revolution lasted from 1870 to 1945 in the USA and UK and in other European countries, characterized by several inventions and technological innovations. We can mention Antonio Pacinotti with the dynamo, the telephone of Antonio Meucci, Thomas Edison with the light bulb and the first hydroelectric power station exploiting the waters of the Niagara Falls, Marconi with the wireless telegraph.

From 1880, oil began to replace coal and in 1885 the first petrol engine was invented. Following the lowering of the costs of steel production processes, it began to be used for numerous infrastructures including, in 1889, the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The development of chemistry by Nobel Alfred allowed him to discover aluminum and dynamite and also succeeded in inventing new artificial fabrics. Thanks to scientific innovations, photography and cinematography were born, making possible in 1895 the first film projection by the Lumière brothers.

3rd Industrial Revolution

The third industrial revolution...