The Importance Of The Industrial Revolution In Britain

Why was the industrial revolution British, and what was it about Britain that allowed for the expansive economic growth to occur while the rest of Europe was comparably suffering? This question has been posed throughout history because of its significance and R.C. Allen provides a detailed analysis of what exactly occurred in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries to prompt the growth that produced the industrial revolution, as well as all the benefits that came along with it. It can be argued that no one factor contributed to the British industrial revolution alone, but that the circumstances of the island nation at the time created the ideal climate for technological change, agricultural change and the shift to industrialization. The significant factors include the high wage, cheap energy economy, British imperial pursuits, institutional and industrial change, scientific enlightenment, agriculture and urbanization as well as the geopolitics of the region. All of these factors contributed to the ‘perfect storm’ that produced a revolution that laid the template for our present day industrialized society.

The argument that Allen proposes which presents the most significant aspect of the industrial revolution …show more content…
On the labor input side of the economy we note that because of low population levels wages were high. These low population numbers were a product of the Black Death, but this event was not purely British in its scope. We can draw parallels between the fact that England and London in particular were some of the worst affected areas in Europe, with England losing an estimated 70% of its population from the outbreak (Barry et al, 45). Hence, the hard hit population paired with lower birth rates created a situation where high labor prices