The industrial revolution is a historical period characterized by economic, technological, cultural and social transformations.
During the second half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century , a period took place that went down in history as the Industrial Revolution . It was a time of great transformations in the technological, economic, social and cultural fields, which had its epicentre in England .
With the industrial revolution, industry and manufacturing activities replaced manual labour. This led to the mechanisation of many production processes and the elimination of many jobs , as these tasks were now carried out by machines.
The industrial revolution consisted of two distinct stages: the first took place between 1750 and 1840, and the second between 1880 and 1914. Both can be analyzed through specific changes that occurred in societies. Initially, there was a demographic transformation , with the transfer of the rural population to the cities and international migration. Then a great economic change took place, with mass production and the emergence of large companies , which contributed to strengthening capitalism .
First industrial revolution
The first stage of this change originated in the United Kingdom; however, it was a process that triggered changes in all countries and was based on economic liberalism . The fundamental reason why it began in this country is possibly that it was an open society prepared for change, and that it had large iron deposits, thanks to which it was possible to develop the machinery necessary to start the industry.
The first step of the industrial revolution was the mechanization of textile activities and the industrialization of iron production. The emergence of the railroad and the creation of steam engines were other decisive changes, as they facilitated the transport of goods and increased productive capacity.
The development of the railway was key in the beginning of the industrial revolution.
The second process
The second stage was a consequence of the first and had as its protagonists countries such as France, Belgium, Russia, Germany and the United States. It was characterized by further laying the economic foundations that would govern the course of societies from the 19th century onwards.
This period consolidated capitalism as the dominant ideology of commercial relations in the world and brought with it important technological advances that would be reflected in more sophisticated machinery for production, improvements in means of transport and, fundamentally, an increase in the comfort of citizens in their daily lives.
It is important to highlight that in both periods there were social transformations such as the birth of the proletariat , that is, industrial workers, and the degradation of the environment due to the uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources.
Parallel to the emergence of the proletariat, another social group was formed, identified with the name of the industrial bourgeoisie , which included large businessmen and those who retained the power and economic benefits derived from this historical process.
Consequences of the industrial revolution
Three strong points of the industrial revolution can be mentioned:
* The agricultural revolution : thanks to the investment that certain owners made in modern techniques of working the soil and in the modernization of the cultivation systems, which brought about a progressive increase in agricultural production. It should be noted that during this period the use of fertilizers in agriculture was created and implemented;
* Development of commercial capital : rules were established to systematize work, the relationship between employers and workers became strictly labor and had as its sole objective the obtaining of benefits by both parties. The incorporation of machinery in work allowed not only to improve working conditions but also to improve communication and transportation in cities;
* Demographic-social changes : given the changes brought about by new means of transport and communication, many people concentrated in the city to work in factories ; the rest focused on agricultural areas that had implemented the changes we have already discussed. In turn, thanks to improvements in agricultural production and the abundance of food, the health of citizens improved greatly, thus allowing for population growth.