Proposal on the Impact of Industrial age and the rise of Capitalism.
Proposal on the Impact of Industrial age and the rise of Capitalism.
Introduction
The industrial revolution is the best thing that ever happened to the United States of
America. It led to the transformation or change from the handcraft and agricultural economy to
one that is dominated by machine manufacturing and industry. The industrial revolution began in
the 18th century in Britain before spreading to the other European countries and the Americas
and the other parts of the world. The term Industrial Revolution was first spread by Arnold
Toynbee when he was describing the transformation of Britain in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
When it reached The U.S., the term spread fester and its impact was felt around the world.
Characteristics of the Industrial Revolution
The key features of the industrial revolution included the use of technology, cultural and
social economic changes. There was the use of new sources of energy, such as motive power like
electricity, steam engine and petroleum and fuel as well as the internal combustion engine. New
materials were used during the industrial revolution such as Iron and steel. The industrial
revolution also led to the invention of new machines such as the power loom which led to
increased productivity. The presence of machines led to the division of labor and specialization
of various functions within the industries. The manufacture of goods also led to the development
of other sectors like transport and communication, steamship, radio, automobiles and the airplane
because they were used to aid the industrial revolution like transporting raw materials from
sources to the industries.
The industrial revolution also led to various developments such as agriculture, better
distribution of wealth among the people, reduced land area because it was used for
industrialization among other factors. There was the improvement of trade and access to the
market as people could export their goods and services to the United States and other parts of the
world. Counties had to come up with new policies and laws to regulate industrial revolution and
there was s also a shift in the political influence due to the strength of some countries economic
status. Other points to note is that there was the growth of social factors such as the development
of cities, rise of new forms of authority and the rise of movements protecting the rights of the
working class. The industrial revolution also led to the acquisition of new skills that were in line
with the new developments in industries and running of the invented machines.
The Rise of Capitalism
The rise of industrial revolution led to increased capitalism. Capitalism is the belief that
goods and services are owned by people before the society. It is a direct opposite of communism,
a belief that goods and services or rather a wealth is owned by the society. There was a need to
improve capitalism so that the owners of factories could have the resources and capital to indulge
in new inventions and run their factories to produce cheaper goods. Industrialization created jobs
for the jobless and thus increasing their purchasing power. The rise of small businesses to
provide goods and services to these new consumers led to increased capitalism. The government
had no control over these small businesses (Hirtenstein, 2017).
Conclusion
In Conclusion, the industrial revolution led to new ways of doing things. There as a better
distribution of wealth and creation of jobs. This led to the creation of free markets where the
government had no control. Continued inventions and innovations are the keys to an increase in
wealth distribution and industrial revolution and capitalism will continue playing a critical role in
societies and many other countries around the world.
References
Majewski, J. (2017). How the industrial revolution raised the quality of life for workers
and their families. Retrieved From https://fee.org/articles/the-industrial-revolution-
working-class-poverty-or-prosperity/
Hirtenstein, J. (2017). How did the industrial revolution give rise to capitalism?
Retrieved From https://www.quora.com/How-did-the-industrial-revolution-give-rise-to-
capitalism