19.09.2011

THE CHIEF FEATURES OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

It is an argumentative text in which the historical process of the industrial Revolution is considered.

The title makes the reader understand what the text is about with few key words: the main issue analysed inside the argumentation is quoted in the title, therefore the writer focuses immediately the attention on the ‘features’ of the phenomenon. Finally, the title is closely linked to the content. Argumentations are organised into several paragraphs and in each one an explanation of facts is developed.

The first paragraph aims at introducing what the writer is going to analyse through different argumentations.

The second one gives a definition of the issue and creates a general idea of the facts in the mind of the reader. In order to introduce the explanation of the process, the writer considers some data and reports names concerning the development of the period: Adam Smith, Malthus, Ricardo and John Stuart Mill’s books are quoted as exemplifications.

The expository argumentation also appears in the third paragraph, in which the writer makes reference to some relevant dates to explain the growth of population, and he makes examples trough percentage. The fourth paragraph consists of an evaluative argumentation: the agricultural revolution implies a decrease in the rural population and the fact is displayed by the exploit of quotations. Indeed three people concerning the phenomenon are proposed: Laurence, Eden and Cobbett. The fifth paragraph gives information about the substitution of scientific culture, providing few data and short explanations; moreover, Laurence is quoted again.

The following paragraph is made up several exemplifications of the mechanical discoveries: it provides a list of the most relevant inventions and their importance, and when they were discovered.

The seventh paragraph is about the expansion of trade and it reports the main data in order to justify the increase. Some cities of England are quoted: Liverpool, Bristol, London and Oxford are concerned. In the eighth paragraph the writer considers the social revolution as a consequence of all the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution. He quotes some relevant data about rises in rents.

The ninth paragraph gives an evaluation of the new class born during the period: capitalists made fortune and the old relationships between landlords and workmen disappeared. In addition, misery grew because of the substitution of mechanical science.

These effects are considered in the last paragraph in order to conclude the essay: wealth and well-being do not always coincide.