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The Factors Of Proto-Industrialisation

Decent Essays

It is known by many that Britain was the first state to industrialise. Proto-Industrialisation was characterised by certain factors in the 18th century in the correct combination and this gave Britain the comparative advantage to industrialise when they did. Setting them ahead in their development before the rest of the world. Mendels (1972), stated simply that Proto industrialisation was the “first phase in the industrialisation process,” and that is exactly what is was. It was the phase in which the preconditions to allow industrialisation to occur were set up. Why after many centuries was Britain suddenly able to Industrialise before other nations?

Proto-industrialisation was characterised by a significant change in the demographics of …show more content…

The putting out system became a dominant feature. The merchant capitalist would distribute raw materials to the poor, working families and they would participate in domestic manufacturing often in their homes or workshops. The merchant would then collect the processed goods and pay the rural workers piece rates for their labour. It was a way for agricultural labourers and farmers to make some extra money undertaking this unskilled, repetitive labour. The employer had the ability to pay below the minimum sustenance needed because many of these workers, unlike the wage dependent workers who later arose, had access to land. Which means that they could produce some of the food they needed to survive. Clarkson (1985), made a noteworthy statement when he explained that the cotton industry, as well as many other industries in Britain were dominated by this arrangement of the putting out system of which the goods were sold not only in the local market but primarily to the supra-regional …show more content…

In this transition we see traditional agrarian families becoming involved in a market orientated production. The land was no longer the primary source of wealth. There was a move towards the commercialisation of agriculture in the time of proto-industrialisation. Peasants would produce crops and goods for sale on the international market rather than for their own consumption. Peasants had to accumulate money to trade within the town centres because they could no longer produce all of their own goods. The development of town centres is another way in which we see a shift towards capitalism. Goods were being sold to make a profit and not only to sustain a

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