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What was the most important in the making of the ‘Industrial Revolution’: organisational, technological, or social change?

Many factors were important in the making of the Industrial Revolution, which occurred c. 1730-1860. Historians have four different schools of thought about what made the Industrial Revolution; the Social Change School, the Macroeconomic School, The Industrial Organisation School and the Technological School. I will focus on the social, industrial organisation and technological schools of thought to distinguish what factors were important in the making of the Industrial Revolution.
The first factor I will consider is social change. Naturally society changes over time and the period of the Industrial Revolution was no different. The role of the family, nature of work, the status of women and children and the role of the church all changed society. Women, although paid less than men, began to work in the mills and factories, and many children too would work for a small wage. This resulted in more labour, for fewer costs, and an increased production of goods. Churches...

Posted by: Sylvia Schiavoni

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