Analysis of an argumentative text

Chief features of the industrial revolution

The title of the essay (The Chief Features Of The Industrial Revolution) immediately illustrates the content of the text: the extract deals with the historical process analyzed (the industrial revolution) and its consequences on the economical and social point of view.

The text is organized into 10 paragraphs, each one having a specific function.

The first paragraph (the shortest one) is introductory. It covers the first three lines and is a declaration of intention.

Paragraph two goes from line 4 to 31 and is organized into different argumentations: a definition of the phenomenon, a judgment of its importance and an explanation of its consequences. Then the writer provides titles and short extracts from the books published by the four most important economists of the time:

1.      Adam Smith (Wealth Of Nations, 1776)
2.      Malthus (Essay On Population, 1798)
3.      Ricardo (Principles Of Political Economy and Taxation, 1817)
4.      John Stuart Mill (Principles Of Political Economy, 1848)

The fourth paragraph (lines 32-39) is an expository one. It deals with the great growth of population of the period and the relative decline in the agricultural inhabitants. The writer provides some quantitative data to expose his theory.

Paragraph five goes from line 33 to 57. It poses a question: what agricultural changes led to the noticeable decrease in the rural population? The writer individuates three main causes (destruction of the common-field system, enclosure on a large scale of common...) then he provides the opinion of three important figures (Laurence, Eden and Cobbett).

The following section (lines 58-71) exposes the improvements brought by the agricultural advance (rotation of crops, invention of the steam-plough...). The writer adds his own evaluation of the changes occurred.

The seventh paragraph shifts to manufactures. It starts with a chronological list of the most important and relevant inventions (spinning-jenny, water-frame) and their consequences (the tripled trade of cotton and the change in the workmen conditions), then the writer adds two more examples of machines relevant in the iron industry.

Paragraph eight goes from line 96 to 114 and exposes the transports' improvement providing information about the changes brought to canals, roads and railroads and their consequences on the system of production.

The following paragraph (lines 97-127) provides some data about the rise of rents providing information about price's variations through time, then the writer makes an evaluation about the consequent social revolution.

The ninth paragraph is about the social change introduced into the previous one. It starts with an explanation about the way the transformation occurred and its consequences on the master-workmen relations. Then exposes the reason of the workers' misery (condition of labours...).

To conclude, the writer expresses (in paragraph 10, the conclusive one) his own judgment about the process and its effects on the society.