“The chief features of the Industrial Revolution” is an argumentative text in which are illustrated the  causes and effects of Industrial Revolution.

This text is divided in 10 paragraphs to make it easy to understand. This presents the context of 18-19 century.

At the beginning the author declares the function, the intentions and the context that he will analize.

In the first paragraph there is a short introduction in which the author situates the period and the area in which start Industrial Revolution.

In the second paragraph the writer gives a definition and a judgement and of this important event. He explains the two modes of economic process (Economic science and Socialism) through the opinions of four English economists: Adam Smith “Wealth of Nations” 1776, Malthus “Essay on population” 1798, Ricardo “Principles of Political Economy and Taxation” 1817, Mills “ Principles of Political Economy” 1848.

In the next part there is illustrated the growth of population and all the data.

The fourth paragraph explains the causes of decrease in rural population: 1. The destruction of common-field system, 2. the enclosure, 3. the consolidation of small farms into large.

In the following part there is a presentation of progress in agriculture, that is documented with data and examples. The principal improvements are: open fields, crop rotations and new inventation (steam-plough).

This progress trasforms the labour in agriculture and it increases the production.

The sixth paragraph is about the discoveries and improvements of industry. The relevant discoveries are spinning- jenny, water- frame, steam- engine, cotton meal and power- loom. These increase the production and that grows trades.

The seventh section is connected with the previous one because the expansion of the trade has influenced on the development of transport links. This increases the world commerce. The most useful way are: water- way, turnpike road and railroad (The writer gives some examples about some constructions in England).

Next one part is linked with two previous paragraphs because it is about the distribution of the wealth. The writer gives an answer about the rise of the rents and he explains the causes and conseguences that produces on the society. In fact he says there is a great revolution in the balance of social classes. A part of farmers becomes landlords because they invest on farms leases

In the ninth and tenth paragraph are presented the social changes and how these involve to class conflicts because working people live in a condition of misery.

In the conclusion the author expresses his thought “the effects of the Industrial Revolution prove that free competition may produce wealth without producing well-being”.