Causes of the industrial revolution

Causes of the Industrial Revolution

1. Causes of the Industrial Revolution In England

2. The Agricultural Revolution In the 18th century, the Agricultural Revolution created a surplus of food. This caused food prices to go down. British families could save money, and use this money to buy manufactured goods. (This extra money is called "disposable income.")

3. Raw Materials The British Empire and its colonial system provided valuable sources of raw materials such as cotton. Also, large deposits of iron and coal were near the Earth's surface in Britain, providing materials to help industrial development.

4. Navigable Waters in Britain There is an abundance of navigable waters and rivers in and around Britain, so that a person can never be far from a waterway. This made transportation of materials and manufactured goods efficient and cheap.

5. No Internal Tariffs Unlike in other parts of Europe, Britain had no internal tariffs (taxes) on goods. This made movement of materials and manufactured products very easy, efficient, and cheap.

6. Stable Government and Banking Unlike many places at the time, Britain had a stable government and established banking system. This stability helped industrial development - development of companies and individual entrepreneurship were encouraged.

7. Large and Mobile Work Force In other parts of Europe, peasants were bound to the land and couldn't leave. In Britain, farm lands were enclosed, so there were more workers available than necessary for agriculture. For these workers, industry was a good source of money.