Industrial Revolution Essay

500+ Words Industrial Revolution Essay It’s History, The Impact And Pros And Cons Of Industrial Revolution

The Industrial revolution was a period of major changes, which transformed the largely handicraft and agriculture based economy to machine manufacturing. European and American society was completely dependent on agriculture, hand production methods, which meant lower production. But in the latter half of the 18th century, the introduction of mass producing machines and industrialization changed this. This modern method of production led to mass production, which brought about major changes in the economy.

The industrial revolution brought about several social changes too. It led to new job opportunities, lowered prices, better quality of life and communication. But it wasn’t all good, the industrial revolution had its disadvantages too. While it did improve the quality of life with a better economy, it also led to harsh working conditions. Industrialization also led to pollution, lower pay and in some cases, unemployment too.

Learn more about the history, the impact and the pros and cons of the industrial revolution in this industrial revolution essay.

Industrial Revolution Essay: History Of Industrial Revolution

Before the industrial revolution, the economy was completely dependent on agriculture and handmade products. This meant fewer products were produced and the cost of production and the goods were higher too. But all this changed with the introduction of machines and factories in the late 1700s and mid 1800s. The industrial revolution transformed the largely rural and agriculture based society into urban, machine-powered factories. It began in Britain and soon spread to America, Japan and other European countries.

The industrial revolution brought about several economic and social changes across the world. Learn more about how the industrial revolution impacted society and its advantages and disadvantages. 

Also explore: Read more essays on related topics like technology essay and pollution essay.

Industrial Revolution Essay: The Impact Of The Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution led to several important developments. First, the textile industry was changed. Machines were invented to make the cleaning, gathering, spinning and weaving processes easy. With modern methods of production, large amounts of cloth could be produced at once. The invention of the steam engine further improved the production. Gradually, industrialization spread to all kinds of industries like farming, transportation, communication, banking etc.

The Advantages Of The Industrial Revolution

• Ease Of Production: Industrialization made way for cheaper and more efficient production. Additionally, it made production quicker and easier.
• Innovation and development: The industrial revolution made way for innovation and development in several fields like communication, transportation, farming etc.
• Better job opportunities: The advent of machines and factories made way for jobs with specialized skills, which created new job opportunities. With better economic opportunities, the quality of life also improved. 
• Improved healthcare: The industrial revolution also helped make several advancements in the field of healthcare. Medical equipment and medicines could be manufactured easily and innovated, which resulted in better healthcare.

But while it had several advantages, the industrial revolution had several disadvantages too. Learn more about the cons in this industrial revolution essay.

The Disadvantages Of The Industrial Revolution

• Unemployment: With the advent of machines, several particular jobs became obsolete. People and families that performed these jobs were left without jobs or income. This led to unemployment and poverty.
• Overcrowding of cities: With more and more people from rural areas moving to the cities hoping for better wages, cities became overcrowded. The sudden influx of migrants in poorly planned cities and towns led to unsanitary living conditions and spread diseases.
• Harsh working conditions: With factories churning out products in mass quantities, factory owners prized profit over everything else. The workers were underpaid and forced to overwork with no concern for their safety. The dirt, the soot, smoke and chemicals expelled from the factories made working conditions in the factories unsanitary and hazardous to the workers’ health too. This resulted in accidents, the workers getting injured and even death in certain cases. 
• Pollution: One of the greatest ills that the industrial revolution brought about is the pollution and environmental ills that it caused. The factories also used natural resources endlessly, which led to global warming and other ecological problems. 
• Economic gap:  The factory and industry owners looked at their gain above all else. So, the workers were exploited and forced to overwork in unsanitary conditions for low wages. As a result, the factory owners got richer, while the workers stayed poor. This unequal distribution of wealth created an economic gap. 

The industrial revolution has its advantages and disadvantages, but our society wouldn’t be the same without it. Nonetheless, we can continue to enjoy the benefits by focusing on innovation without compromising on safety and equality.

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