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Industrial Revolution Essay

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The topic I have chosen to discuss related to the last 400 years in Western Civilization is the Industrial Revolution in Britain. The Industrial Revolution was what created the modern capitalist system. Britain was the first to lead the way in this huge transformation. Technology changed, businesses, manufactured goods, and wage laborers skyrocketed. There was not only an economic transformation, but also a social transformation. The Industrial Revolution is such an interesting subject to further explore, because it truly made a difference in Britain in the late 1700s. The Industrial Revolution brought an increased quantity and variety of manufactured goods and even improved the standard of living for some individuals, however, it …show more content…

They operated at night and in disguise, these Luddites smashed the new textile machinery, the ones that the factory owners had introduced. They believed that the technological advanced machines will dominate production and replace the workers, and no human beings would be employed. They feared that the lack of employment would result in economic decline and more poverty. Even in today’s day, we can see individuals who can be referred as Luddites, due to their objection to the introduction of new technology. The encounters between workers and the bourgeoisie did heighten an awareness of the class divisions that were found in British society.
Levack, B. P., Muir, E., & Veldman, M. (2011). The West: Encounters & transformations (Vol. 2: Since 1550) (3rd ed). New York, NY: Longman.
There were many social and economic changes that made the industrial development possible. The steady increase in the British population, the improved agricultural productivity, the accumulation of large amounts of capital, and the demand for manufactured goods were all factors that encouraged the mechanization of industry. The increase of the population in Britain during the 18th century is what led to the Industrial Revolution. The increase of population facilitated the industrialization by the domestic demand for

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