Industrial revolution.

The terms is made up of two words Industrial, meaning business of manufacturing products and revolution, meaning total radical changes. So the combined change means the radical change that was witnessed in the means of production.

The existing system at the time like in any developing nation was that of small family owned means of production. Family members owned the means of production and there wasnt substantial surplous produce. These were mostly home based production units that rarely employed hired hands.

With emergence of factories, the capitalists levereged the economy of scales. The workers were hired and there was distribution of work. There was mechanisation involved that produced goods in bulk quantities.
The first nation to get industrialised was Britain. There were many nations that had conditions ripe for industrial revolution but there were specific reasons that one can point to, while explaining its occurence in Britain first.

1) Shortage of man power; the population of Britain was small thus manpower wasnt readily available. This promoted techniques that would compensate for this shortage.
2) Availability of capital; due to accumulated trade profits Britain had the capital needed to invest in the mechanisation process.
3) Stability; isolation from the continental europe ensured peace and safety for the british isles from the affairs of continental powers. This promoted investment in better means of productsion.
4) Technology; british inventors and technicians favoured practical applications of science over the theoretical aspects as favoured by their counterparts in continental europe.
5) Availability of coal and iron ore in proximity.
6) Better transport facilities by road and canals.
7) Agricultural revolution; it prepared the base which could be used by the industries for production.
8) Risk taking private sector; owing to a long tradition of individual rights, the private sector was well developed and had the capability to take on new ventures.

It was a new idea at the time and the establishment wasnt prepared to tackle the issues that emerged from industrial revolution. Following were the major effects of Industrial revolutions-

Economic effects-
1) It created urbal centres. Goods became chaper and the living standards of the masses improved.
2) Prior to the revolution, production was for personal consumption and subsistence but now a capitalist class was created with focus on profit alone.
3) With surplous production transport got a boost and national/international trade was promoted.
4) A consequence of industrial revolution was colonialism, which brought large parts of Asia, Africa, Americas and Austrialia under european control.

Social effects-
1) Rapid and unplanned urbanisation led to growth of slums with bad living conditions.
2) Unhygenic living conditions made the workers vulnerable to epidemics.
3) Employment of women helped empower them socially.
4) Employment of children in often hazardous conditions created problems of mental and phsical development.
5) Family life suffered in these environs.
6) It created a class divide between the Capitalists and the workers.
7) To protect their rights, workers organised themselves into unions.

Political effects-
1) The industrial revolution begot colonialization which was determental for the native populations. It led to wiping out native populations in Americas, subjugation of Africans and exploitation of Asians.
2) The governments soon had to consider the demands of the workers and regulations were put in place to safeguard their interests. In time political parties would emerge with advocacy of workers as their main agenda.
3) Organisations born out of reaction to capitalism like socialism and trade union movement dominated the social scene. These would later change the fate of many a nations like russia and change the world order.

Spread of Industrial revolution-
Industrial revolution occured in Britain between 1780 and 1830. Initially she tried to curtail its spread to other nations but failed. By 1850 Belgium has suceeded and after 1870 France, Germany and USA grew very rapidly. The first Asian antion to get industrialised was Japan by 1900. Russia was the last european nation to get industrialised ( after 1917 revolution).