Day 26 – Q 4.Why were other European countries slower to industrialise than Britain? Discuss.
4. Why were other European countries slower to industrialise than Britain? Discuss.
ब्रिटेन के मुकाबले अन्य यूरोपीय देशों में औद्योगिकीकरण की रफ़्तार धीमा क्यों थी? चर्चा करें।
Approach:
- Introduction
- Why were other European countries slower to industrialise?
- Conclusion
Introduction:
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. This time period saw the mechanization of agriculture and textile manufacturing and a revolution in power, including steam ships and railroads, that effected social, cultural and economic conditions.
Why industrialization in Britain was easy?
Several factors that converged in Britain in the mid-18th century and created just the right environment for the rise of industrialization.
- Agricultural changes – British farmers were making good use of new agricultural techniques and tools that allowed them to increase their productivity.
Fewer people could grow more food, even enough to feed a large labor force. - Population boom – Britain’s population doubled between 1750 and 1800. The nation had more people to work in factories and more people to purchase manufactured goods.
- Economic innovations – Britain had developed an economic framework, including banks and a stock market, which could handle increases in economic activity.
- New ideas and a scientific viewpoint – The British people were explorers who believed in human progress and scientific advancement. They were constantly making new discoveries about how the world worked.
- Transportation foundations – Britain had plenty of navigable rivers, decent roads, and canals that could transport raw materials to factories and products to consumers.
- Natural resources – Britain’s large deposits of coal and iron provided power for new factories.
- A supportive government – The British government encouraged commerce, gave patents to protect inventors, offered financial perks to industrialists, and maintained a hands-off policy that pleased businessmen.
Why other European countries could not industrialize when Britain did?
- Other European countries were slower to industrialize than Britain because the French Revolution caused political turmoil that interrupted communication, slowed trade, caused inflation throughout Europe.
- Britain had huge empire and thus a trade network with numerous colonies – These colonies provided raw materials and a market for finished goods. This was not the case with other European countries.
- Further the benefits of huge demographic dividend, supportive government, natural resources etc, which Britain had was not there with any other European country.
Conclusion:
Thus, by end of 19th century whole of Europe was under the wave of industrial revolution making the region economically superior at the expense of their colonies.
Best answer: DECEMBER.
