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Spread of Industrial Revolution outside Britain

Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution (Pc.-https://commons.wikimedia.org/)

Spread of Industrial Revolution outside Britain

For almost a half-century Industrial Revolution remained limited to Britain because the British government maintained strict control over new machines and technologies. Their export was not allowed in any form.

Belgium

During the opening year of  19th C, since the British mill owners migrated to Belgium and they secretly carried machines. This resulted in the commencement of the Industrial Revolution in  Belgium.

France

With the rise of Napoleon, the number of steps were taken for the commencement of mechanized production in France. Bank of France established in 1800, machined were imported, road networks were built. The Continental system of Napoleon was also aimed at giving a boost to French industries.

Germany

With the formation of the Zollverein (1819) process industrialization commenced in Germany. The real face of industrialization was witnessed after 1870 Germany emerged as a unified nation.

USA

In the USA, the Industrial Revolution commenced in 1820 to some extent. But the real face of industrialization was witnessed after the end of the American Civil War in 1865.

Russia

In Russia, the process of industrialization commenced in 1890  largely as a result of the private efforts of foreign investors. The Russian petroleum industry was dominated by Britain, France dominated the iron and steel industry, and Germany dominated the chemical industry. The real face of industrialization in Russia was after the end of the Russian civil war commenced by Russia (1917).

Industrial Revolution in Japan

Japan was the first Asian country to undergo Modern industrialization during the 1870s and 1880s. Japan was following the policy of isolation until 1853. The Japanese government didn’t allow the European traders to enter because Japan was apprehensive that it could fall under European colonial control. The Japanese government had seen the fate of other Asian countries like China, India, and Sri Lanka, etc.

In 1853, American naval commander Mathew C. Perry reached the Japanese coast with the gunship. He asked Japan’s government to open the markets for European and American traders when this demand was refused Mathew C Perry bombed Japan’s coastal towns and cities. Under these circumstances, Japan had to open the market for outsiders. Japan felt badly humiliated and a radical nationalism wave got triggered in Japan.

In 1868, Revolution took place in Japan that restored the rule of the Meiji dynasty. This dynasty was famous for its strong nationalist outlook. The Meiji rule pushed Japan into the path of industrialization so that Japan could be transformed into a powerful nation, and the Japanese national prestige could be restored.

Characters of the Industrial revolution

Salient features of the British Industrial Revolution

  • British Industrial Revolution was Capitalist in nature because the means of production were privately owned. The Capitalist class was the owner of factories.
  • Factory based production was another important feature.
  • Production was carried out on a mass scale. British Industrial Revolution was powered by indigenous innovations.
  • It was dominated by market demands. The failure of the traditional handicraft based system had forced Britain to adopt mechanized production.
  • The idea of Laissez-faire was predominant. The market forces determined what was to be produced and how much to be produced.
  • The profit motive was dominant in the process of industrialization.
  • Production of white goods was another important feature.
  • During the early phase, it was largely a textiles revolution.
  • Formal relations of production were also an important feature.
  • The process of industrialization was gradual. It took almost 150 years for British industries to reach their peak.
  • The role of the state was largely indirect. State played the role of facilitator in the process of British industrialization.
  • The exploitation of the working-class was widespread in British industries.
  • Quality Conciounces was very dominant among British manufacturers. They took their product with a lot of prestige. It was a matter of pride for them to manufacture the best goods.

Salient of the Russian Industrial Revolution

  • The Russian Industrial Revolution was based on communist ideology. The Russian claimed themselves as socialist. But in reality, they were communist in nature.
  • The role of the State was very important because the state was the owner of factories. The state was the employer. The state started the process of industrialization.
  • The role of market forces was absent. The state determined what was to be produced and how much to be produced.
  • Rusian industries focused on the production of capital goods. Machines were manufactured to set up more and more factories.
  • The profit motive was absent. The process of industrialization was inspired by the aim of national advancement.
  • The pace of industrialization was extremely rapid because within a short span of about thirty years the Soviet Union attained the level of industrialization that took British almost 150 years.
  • The exploitation of the working-class was negligible because of the state ownership of resources. In factories, nobody was an employer and nobody was an employee.
  • There was no special focus on and superior quality. Durability and usefulness were more important.

Salient features of Japanese Industrial Revolution

  • The role of the state was very important because the state provided capital to entrepreneurs to set up factories.
  • The Japanese rich class had invested its capital in real estate during its half of 19th C.
  • There was no demand for Japanese goods in the market because till 1854 Japan was following the policy of international isolation where the Japanese market was open. As a result of the pressure mounted Matthew C Perry’s domestic market was also flooded by foreign goods. It was the urge to transform Japan into a major power. That forced the Japanese government to pursue the policy of industrialization.
  • The pace of industrialization was extremely rapid because, within a short span of three-decade, Japan reached the level attained by Europe in more than 100 years.
  • By opening years of the 20th century, Japan was a major power. This was proved by the thumping victory of Japan over Russia in 1905. This victory pushed Japan further on the international scene and by 1930s Japan was far more powerful than most European nations.
  • The role of indigenous innovations was negligible in Japan. Japanese followed the process of reverse engineering. Japanese imported a few machines opened them and copied them to produce the same machines on a large scale.
  • Quality consciousness was absent among Japanese manufacturers in the beginning. Their focus was on producing cheap goods on a mass scale so that domestic needs could be fulfilled at low prices and the bottom of the pyramid could be targeted in Europe.
  • The exploitation of the working-class was comparatively lesser when compared with Europan industries because of nationalist inspiration.

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