HPAS/Allied Mains 2022 Answer Writing Challenge Day 15: Model Answer

Question: Explain how Industrial Revolution was not only a technological revolution, but also a social-economic revolution that altered how people lived in the years that followed.?

Answer: 

Introduction

The Industrial Revolution, which lasted from the 18th to the 19th centuries, saw the transformation of predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America into industrial and urban societies.

The transition to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories, and mass production was marked by industrialization.

The iron and textile industries became the industrial revolution’s backbone. Iron and steel were used in everything from cooking appliances to ships. The introduction of steam engines and ships accelerated the process.

Main Body :-

• Changes in technology that occurred during the Industrial Revolution, the acceleration of technological innovation produced a slew of new tools and machines.

The following are significant technological changes that occurred during the Industrial Revolution:

• Textiles: During this time, cotton production shifted from a small-scale cottage industry in which rural families spun and woven in their homes to a large, mechanized, factory-based industry.
• The spinning jenny, spinning mule, and power loom were among the first technological devices to boost productivity.

• Agriculture: Several factors came together in 18th-century Europe to bring about a substantial increase in agricultural productivity.
• These included new types of equipment, such as the seed drill developed by Jethro Tull around 1701. Progress was also made in crop rotation and land use, soil health, development of new crop varieties, and animal husbandry.
• The result was a sustained increase in yields, capable of feeding a rapidly growing population with improved nutrition.

• Energy: The mining and distribution of coal set in motion some of the dynamics that led to Britain’s industrialization. The coal-fired steam engine was in many respects the decisive technology of the Industrial Revolution.
• Transportation: Concurrent with the increased output of agricultural produce and manufactured goods arose the need for more efficient means of delivering these products to market.
• Steam engines and railways became important features of the industrial revolution during the 19thcentury.

During the Industrial Revolution, there was a great deal of socioeconomic change. It altered the character and culture of people all over the world.

Population Explosion: Technological advancements and improved agricultural production led to improved medical facilities and increased employment, resulting in a population explosion.

Banking and Finance System Development: As the middle class began to open new factories that required financing, the banking and finance system began to develop.

Women’s Status: The Industrial Revolution brought about significant changes for women, as many of them entered the labor force for the first time.

Women had to compete for jobs with men.

Female factory workers were frequently paid one-third of what men were.

Rising Middle Class: As wealth increased, middle-class men began to own factories, send their male children to school, and rose in society.

Urbanisation:-People began to migrate to cities in search of better jobs in factories, resulting in overcrowding and inadequate housing facilities.

Conclusion

• The Industrial Revolution was a revolutionary experience. It also increased material wealth, extended life, and was a powerful force for social change.
• And therefore, there was more to the Industrial Revolution than a bunch of machines, it was not only a technological revolution but a social-economic revolution that changed the way people lived afterwards