Introduction
The first Industrial Revolution began in England in 1750-1760 and gave rise to various changes in society, economy, and agriculture of those times. Before the Industrial Revolution, England was known as an agricultural country, and most of its citizens worked in this field. However, with the population growth and urbanization, the demands of the citizens began to increase too, and they started to demonstrate their interest in manufacturing and innovations. This paper is going to investigate the reasons for the Industrial Revolution, assuming that social, economic, political, and psychological aspects had affected those changes in Great Britain.
Literature Review
Griffin and Notes (2018) provide a detailed analysis of real wages and dietary habits of the English before and during the Industrial Revolution. The authors argue that stagnant wages and unhealthy food led to high mortality rates, hunger, and poverty. Consequently, lower productivity among the agriculture workers was one of the main reasons for changes.
Baumard (2018) focuses on the psychological origins of industrialization in England. The researcher claims that since the country was richer than many other European countries at that time, its citizens were ready for innovations and progress. The presence of well-functioning institutions was also important for the beginning of industrialization (Baumard, 2018). The article is based on the Life History Theory and analyses the Great Enrichment in England.
Hanlon (2019) examines the impact of industrial pollution on urbanization and industrialization. Since air pollution affected human health negatively, the agricultural workers’ productivity decreased, and new technologies had to be invented to substitute human work. Haradhan (2019) and Wrigley (2018) focus more on the consequences of the Industrial Revolution. However, they also analyze the population growth and life expectancy as some of the factors affecting the development of industrialization.
Reasons for Industrial Revolution in England
Changes in society led to changes in industry and agriculture. Between 1787 and 1796, English families were spending “75 percent of their income on food,” and 52.5 percent of that income was spent on bread alone (Griffin & Notes, 2018, p. 83). Such a situation continued up to the 1840s, especially in the families of farm workers. At the same time, those people who worked in mining and factory spheres had higher wages and spent only 58-60 percent on food (Griffin & Notes, 2018, p. 84). Such differences in income and nutrition led to changes in human attitude to work and wages. Farmworkers did not want to work for lower wages because they saw higher standards of living in their urban counterparts. Consequently, their productivity lowered, and something had to be done to save agriculture and develop manufacturing.
Despite such stagnant wages among the English workers, England was richer than many other countries during that period. This richness was a stimulus for the country to innovate and invest in the clothing and mining industries, as well as other economic spheres (Baumard, 2018). Moreover, agriculture remained the largest employer up to the second half of the nineteenth century, which meant that the economic status of farmworkers was of high importance to the country (Griffin & Notes, 2018). Industrialization and mechanization helped to raise their incomes, but they also led to drastic changes in family lives and social existence. Men were not able to fully provide for their families anymore, so women had to find some sources of income too, and it was another reason for industrialization.
Air pollution could be referred to as the political aspect of industrialization because it affected neighboring countries too. For example, coal production was one of the main air pollutants in England, which led to numerous deaths, diseases, and reduced productivity of workers (Hanlon, 2019). Other countries, such as China and India, created different policies to protect the environment and encourage industrial growth simultaneously (Hanlon, 2019). To minimize the negative impact of coal manufacture on the local environment, England introduced a new engine to convert heat into work and substitute coal for other power sources (Hanlon, 2019). One can see that air pollution was an important reason for the Industrial Revolution.
Urbanization and psychological factors have also influenced the process of industrialization. Before the Industrial Revolution, “about 80% people worked in small agricultural farms in rural areas and rest 20% people lived in small towns” (Haradhan, 2019, p. 3). However, when four farm-households were able to produce food for five farm-households, the fifth family would move to a town. According to Wrigley (2018), urban life “fostered attitudinal changes,” making people strive for better lives (p. 17). English citizens became more future-oriented, cooperative, and trusting, so they started to engage in different innovative activities (Baumard, 2018). Human demands changed, and it was not enough just to eat and buy new clothes. Thus, psychological readiness for innovations and the desire for higher living standards were other reasons for industrialization in England.
Conclusion
Having analyzed different aspects influencing human lives in England in the 18th-19th century, one can conclude that economic, political, social, and psychological factors were important for the Industrial Revolution. Great Britain was richer than other European countries, and its citizens were more open to innovative ideas and changes. Low wages in agriculture and higher wages in mining or industrial spheres led to the development of manufacturing and urbanization. Urban life affected human living standards and stimulated them to invent something new to make their lives easier and brighter. Even though agriculture remained the largest employer in England, people’s attitudes to life and work changed, and the Industrial Revolution occurred.
References
Baumard, N. (2018). Psychological origins of the Industrial Revolution. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 42, 1-63. Web.
Griffin, E., & Notes, A. (2018). Diets, hunger and living standards during the British Industrial Revolution.Past & Present, 239(1), 71-111. Web.
Hanlon, W. W. (2020). Coal smoke, city growth, and the costs of the Industrial Revolution.The Economic Journal, 130(626), 462-288. Web.
Mohajan, H. K. (2019). The first Industrial Revolution: Creation of a new era. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(4), 377-387.
Wrigley, A. E. (2018). Reconsidering the Industrial Revolution: England and Wales.Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 49(1), 9-42. Web.