The Age of Industrialization

 The Age of Industrialisation Class 10

Industrialisation is the process of automating various manufacturing processes and, by extension, various economic spheres. In layman's terms, industrialisation is the establishment of factories or industries that result in the mass production of consumables through the use of machines that automate entire production processes. Simply put, if there is one thing that can be said about the age of industrialization, it is that it is characterized by the establishment of factories fueled by the active use of machinery and its impact on various economic spheres and networks.

Prior to Industrialization

People generally believe that the age of industrialization was the first time mass production and intense structural organization in economic activities occurred. But this is not the case. Historians now refer to the period of industrialization preceding the establishment of factories as the period of proto-industrialization. This was the era of organized markets and economic networks of merchants, artisans, and peasants with a diverse range of production. However, there was no active use of machinery or scientific advancements in technology and production during this time period. Business or product manufacturing during this time period was heavily reliant on the available human resources.

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries can be attributed to the proto-industrialization period. During this time, there were massive movements of exploration and colonial expansion by European economic powers into the global world, opening up a vast range of international trade and markets. This resulted in an increase in demand for products, which European merchants saw as a growing opportunity. However, because of the powerful associations of crafts and trade guilds that maintain a monopoly on production, quality and quantity of production, and regulation of competition and prices, merchants could not rely on towns to increase production. As a result, merchants went to the countryside, convincing peasants and artisans to produce for international markets.

Age of Industrialization

The industrial age is said to have begun around 1760, in the middle of the eighteenth century. It began in the United Kingdom and then spread to the rest of Europe, North America, and their colonies.

One thing that must be understood about the age of industrialization is that a number of factors were responsible for the beginning of the establishment of factories and automation. These factors were primarily related to the land, i.e. natural resources, capital, and labor. All of these factors were readily available in Britain, not only for production but also for markets, facilitating the start of industrialization. It also had a plethora of ports that provided access to trade routes and foreign markets, capital in the form of goods and money, and an abundance of labor. The British colonies provided a massive market for goods produced in England, ensuring a consistent and increased flow of supply and demand.

Factories, inventions, and human labor

An important fact about the age of industrialization is that it was propelled by a variety of small and large inventions. Cotton was the first product to see a rise, signaling the start of industrialization. Each step of production, such as carding, twisting and spinning, and rolling, became more efficient. The spinning jenny was one of the inventions that increased thread production by eight times that of a single spinning wheel.

Aside from mechanistic inventions, the establishment of factories played a significant role in mass production. The first mill in England was established by Richard Arkwright. These mills resulted in the consolidation of all manufacturing processes under one roof. As a result, there was an increase in the demand for mill workers and machine operators. Toward the end of the eighteenth century, this demand, while increasing, fell short of the enormous human labor available. When it manifested in other sectors of the economy, such as production and manufacturing, it resulted in an increase in job opportunities.

Thomas Newcomen's invention of the steam engine was another significant invention that revolutionized the process of automation and the use of machines. Later, James Watt developed and patented a more modern version of the steam engine. This steam engine was widely used in the manufacture and development of railways, naval ships, and so on.

India's Industrialization in Colonies

One of the most significant influences in the story of the age of industrialization was the availability of a potential colonial market. The industrial revolution had a significant impact on the local and indigenous market and economic systems that existed in colonies such as India. There was an efficient system of merchants, bankers, and other economic players in place before India became a part of the story about the age of industrialization. With their connections to Continental African and Southeastern nations, the ports of Surat and Hooghly provided merchants residing in and around these locations with trade opportunities in international markets.The products available at the ports were provided by inland merchants who transported produce from the inland to these locations. Weavers and artisans in India produced massive amounts of handcrafted goods that were highly valued in markets such as Europe.

The East India Company, and later the British administration, established a monopoly of British markets in India with increased control over trade policies and practices. For example, with increased mass production of cotton and its products, the British prohibited the sale of Indian products, despite their high quality. Along with the product ban, the products from the United Kingdom were available in greater quantities than those from India, resulting in lower prices.This resulted in a decrease in the market for indigenous goods in India, as well as a decrease in finished goods exports abroad. Even though raw materials such as cotton were exported to Britain and other countries, their use in the nineteenth century declined. This effectively hampered local economic activities and economic markets.

Because of the aforementioned factors, business and trade activities at the ports of Surat and Hooghly have declined. Because of the goods and materials available at these ports from imports, the development of ports and cities such as Bombay and Calcutta took their place. Furthermore, as the inland economic system and network declined, the establishment of factories in these areas drew weavers and artisans from neighboring areas and provinces to come and work as laborers.

However, there were some notable pioneering Indian industrialists, such as Dwarkanath Tagore and Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who established their own cotton mills as well as India's first iron and steel industry. Their contributions to the development of Indian economies before and after independence were critical.

Conclusion

The story of the Industrial Revolution is an interesting one because, despite the fact that it has resulted in the replacement of many 'traditional' processes of manufacturing and production by weavers and artisans, it is a story of very rapid progress and development of science and technological prowess. This has resulted in significant economic changes around the world, as well as changes in the economic picture. Even so, small-scale industries and handcrafted products remain an important part of the industrial landscape and contribute significantly to the economy.