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Why did the Industrial Revolution first occur in England? There is no single definitive reason, nor is it clear even to historians. In this article, we will introduce what are said to be the main reasons.
The British island of Britain had more coal than any other country. Coal was found everywhere and was being mined more and more. As you know, coal is inseparable from the Industrial Revolution. Coal generates energy for steam engines and drives various machines.
Before the Industrial Revolution, energy was obtained by burning trees. However, in England, where there were few mountains, forests were depleted and there was a serious energy shortage. This is said to have hastened the shift to coal as a fuel. At that time, wood cost twice as much as coal to produce the same amount of energy in England.
In the 18th century, Britain won a series of colonial wars against France and other countries and expanded its colonies. It also made considerable profits from the triangular trade between its home country, Africa, and the Americas. These large profits from trade with the colonies were one of the factors that helped to finance the Industrial Revolution.
Cities and manufacturing grew in England through trade with the colonies. Wages and living standards were among the highest in the world due to the shortage of workers in the cities. Wages were also higher because more people had literacy, numeracy, and economic knowledge. Higher wages make it harder to hire people. Many companies actively introduced mechanization because they could reduce labor costs by having machines do the work that used to be done by people.
In the UK, the patent system was established earlier than in other countries. This led to the development of the latest technologies by inventors who were aiming for a family fortune by obtaining patents. James Watt, who was involved in the invention of the steam engine, is said to have made a large profit from his patents.
As you can see, there are many reasons why the Industrial Revolution took place in England. In summary, the latest technology of the time could be easily developed in England, and profits could be generated through technological development. This was the reason for the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom.
66 - 『朝日百科 世界の歴史 10 ー 19 世紀ー』1991 年 朝日新聞社 E656 - 3．産業革命はエネルギー革命であった【第 4 章「農」と国土の変貌】
