The Second Industrial Revolution began around 1870 and lasted until the beginning of World War II.
The term revolution has several uses. In this case, we are interested in its meaning as a profound and sudden modification of something.
Industrial , meanwhile, is that linked to industry: the set of procedures that are carried out to obtain, modify and/or transfer one or more raw materials of natural origin. All of these operations in a certain economic sector or in a region are also called industry.
An industrial revolution , in this framework, implies a series of economic, technological and social transformations of production processes. The expression is usually written with initial capital letters ( Industrial Revolution ) to refer specifically to what happened between the mid-18th century and the beginning of the 19th century in the United Kingdom .
What is the Second Industrial Revolution
The phenomenon known simply as the Industrial Revolution can be mentioned as the First Industrial Revolution . Its beginning took place, as we already indicated, in the middle of the 18th century , while its completion is around 1840 .
The Second Industrial Revolution , for its part, began approximately 1870 and continued until the outbreak of the First World War ( 1914 ). In this period, energy sources such as electricity and materials such as steel were introduced. In addition, means of communication such as the telephone and means of transportation such as the airplane were created or popularized.
Innovations changed the characteristics of the production system, work organization and business management. These modifications are also part of the first stage of globalization , which allowed the changes of the First Industrial Revolution to be carried beyond the borders of the United Kingdom and even outside the European continent.
The extensive development of railroads was a central element of the Second Industrial Revolution.
Notable scientific and technological advances
Although the scope of the notion of industrial revolution is often a matter of debate, there is consensus on the relevance of scientific and technological progress in the historical stage that is linked to the Second Industrial Revolution . Machines, in this context, became much more complex and multiplied the possibilities and pace of production , further favoring mechanization.
The discovery of steel , aluminum , zinc and nickel , among other metals, provided new materials for productive activities. The energy supply, likewise, grew and gained diversity.
The Second Industrial Revolution and transportation
Transportation played a leading role in the Second Industrial Revolution . The railway reached enormous development and made it possible to connect remote territories with little communication between them. This translated into a much broader integration of different markets , which promoted international trade.
Facilities in transportation (including improvements in vessels ), in turn, helped reduce the costs of many products and raw materials. Likewise, consumption was encouraged.
New powers
It cannot be failed to mention that the Second Industrial Revolution altered the world panorama. While the United Kingdom emerged as the most important power with the First Industrial Revolution , subsequent changes mainly strengthened the position of Germany and the United States .
These countries established themselves as great powers thanks to their industrial development. Some time later, Japan also ranked among international leaders.