Activities

 

Complete the following notes. They will give you an outline of the information contained in the passage. The main points, relations of cause-effect, illustrations etc. are clearly indicated in the text by logical connectors. Look out for them. 

 

• (par. 1) The Industrial Revolution is the substitution of competition for the mediaeval regulations and led to growth of two systems of thought:

 

1) Economic science                      2) Socialism

 

a) Adam Smith

b) Malthus

c) Ricardo

d) John Stuart Mill

 

 

 • (par. 2-3) Facts of Industrial Revolution. 

1) fast growth of population

2) relative and positive decline in the agricultural population

 

 

• (par. 4) Decrease in rural population.

causes:    1) destruction of the common-field system of cultivation     

               2) enclosure of common and waste lands

               3) consolidation into larger farms

• (par. 5) Agricultural advance.

cause — more scientific approach:

e.g.  

improved breed of cattle

introduction of rotation of crops

invention of steam-plough

agricultural societies

• (par. 6-7) Growth of industry.

causes

1) mechanical inventions in textile industry

e.g.  

spinning-jenny

water-frame

Crompton's mule

Kelly’s self-acting mule

most important:

steam engine

power-loom

 

 

2) mechanical revolution in iron industry

e.g.  

revolution of smelting by pit-coal

steam-engine to blast furnaces

3) improved means of communication

e.g.  

canal system rapidly developed

roads improved

railroad

 

results:   1)  extraordinary increase in commerce

              2) substitution of factory system for domestic system.

 

• (par. 8) Revolution in distribution of wealth:

rise in rents caused by

1) money invested in improvements

2) the enclosure system

3) the consolidation of farms

4) high price of corn

social changes in country life:

• (par. 9) Social changes in manufacturing world: the new class of great capitalist employers made enormous fortunes

consequences:

1)  old relations between masters and men disappeared             

2)  human tie substituted by a “cash nexus”

3) class conflict.

• (par. 10) Misery of working people often caused by:

 

1) rise of prices

2) high price of bread

3) sudden fluctuations of trade

 

Conclusion:

The effects of the Industrial Revolution highlights that there was no relationship between producing wealth and producing well-beings, because of free competition.