THE CHIEF FEATURES OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION by Toynbee.

Right from the title the intelligent reader can understand the intention of the writer. The adjective chief underlines the most important aspects of the essay: the writer wants to persuade the reader analysing the principal features of the Industrial Revolution.

Toynbee starts his essay with an introductory paragraph in which he explains what he is going to analyse. 

•   "The essence of the industrial revolution is the substitution of competition for the medieval regulations which had previously controlled the production and distribution of wealth".

COMPETITION can be defined as an economic law which regulates the price of good in relation with offer and demand.

After that Toynbee highlights the growth of two systems of thought:

1. 1.       ECONOMIC SCIENCE
2. 2.       SOCIALISM

In order to support his thesis he quotes four great English economists.

1. 1.       In 1776 Adam Smith publicated "Wealth of Nations" in which he investigates on the causes of wealth (how the wealth of a nation is made).
2. 2.        In 1798 Malthus investigates on the causes of poverty on his publication "Essay on population". He found them on his theory of population.
3. 3.       In 1817 Ricardo's "principles of political economy and taxation" publication was about the laws which regulated the distribution of wealth.
4. 4.       The last one economist was John Stuart Mill with his publication: "principles of political economy" in which he focuses the attention on how wealth should be distributed.

In the following paragraph the writer starts analysing the facts of the industrial revolution. The first important event was the growth of population. People could live longer and Toynbee uses quantity data and percentages in order to convince the reader.

Going on he focuses his attention on the decline of agricultural population. The most effective causes of the decrease in the rural population were:

•§  The enclosure of common lands

•§  The destruction of the common-field system

•§  The consolidation of small farms into large

Toynbee provides the reader quantity data and he analyses the effects of all this changes in the society. The writer underlines different aspects connected to the agricultural revolution: the number of farmers reduced and a lot of agricultural innovations were introduced.

•§  Rotation of crops

•§  Steam-plough

•§  Breed of cattle

•§  Institution of agricultural societies

To conclude unscientific was substituted by scientific culture.

In the following paragraph the writer focuses the reader's attention on manufactures: the most important fact consist on the substitution of the factory system for the domestic system.

The four most important inventions were:

•1.       THE SPINNING JENNY (multi-spool spinning frame)

•2.       THE WATER-FRAME (name given to the spinning frame when water power is used to drive it)

•3.       CROMPTON'S MULE (spinning mule: combination of spinning jenny and water frame)

•4.       SELF-ACTING MULE (automatic spinning mule)

In 1769 James Watt took out his patent for the steam-engine and sixteen years later it was applied to the cotton manufacture. In the same paragraph the writer analyses the introduction of the most invention of all: the power-loom. The use of the power-loom changed the workman security. At first the development and use of machinery raised workers' wages but later the condition of workmen changed because of the market fluctuation.

Going on in the following paragraph Toynbee focuses the reader's attention on the development of means of communication as a consequence of the expansion of trade. The writer explains how the extraordinary increase in commerce and the rapidly developed of means of communication are closely connected. He also highlights the changed from independence to dependence in the work system. The essential difference between the domestic and the factory system is that in the latter the work is done by people who have no property in the goods the manufacture. Another consequence of the expansion of trade was the regular recurrence of periods of over-production and depression. To tell the truth this phenomenon were unknown under the old system.

These altered conditions on the production of wealth involved an equal revolution in distribution.

SOCIAL REVOLUTION : changed in the balance of political power and of the position of classes