FREE ESSAY ON INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The Industrial Revolution and its impact on the 20th century
The French Revolution, Haitian Revolution, Communist Manifesto and Industrial Revolution
all are an influence on our world in 20th century. However, the Industrial Revolution is
the most influential. Unlike the French and Haitian Revolution, the Industrial Revolution
had a direct far-reaching impact on the entire world. The Industrial Revolution, which
originally began in Britain in the 1780's, spread further, influencing the growth of
other countries. It spurred the growth of trade, transportation, communication,
production, and the population. The goods that Europe in the revolution produced were
being shipped everywhere in the world and, as a result, and the economy and society
changed. 
Unlike the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution did not extend beyond its
colonies. The ideas that the French revolution promoted, equality, individual rights, and
suffrage, were not unique only to France. The 19th century liberalism that became a role
model for worldwide nations did not only originate from the French Revolution, but from
other countries, such as America and the Declaration of Independence, as well. 
Also, the revolts in Haiti that resulted in the first independent black republic did not
lead to rebellions in other countries. The ideas from the Haitian revolution were seen as
a threat to the slaveholders and plantation owners in America and the surrounding
Caribbean islands. As a result of their fear, they kept the Haitian revolution hidden
from their slaves in order to prevent the dangerous ideas from spreading. The Haitian
revolution was not heard of until almost 200 years later. Therefore, the impact of the
Haitian revolution was also not as extensive. 
Before the Industrial revolution, life was harsh. In Europe, people lived in small towns
and villages and were self-sufficient, making their own clothes and furniture and trading
products for food. Their lives revolved around agricultural seasons, and there was always
a constant threat that crops would not grow. The population stayed very low, and people
were very susceptible to disease and epidemics. However, after the Industrial Revolution,
the general conditions of life improved. New technologies in farming led to a surplus in
food, and thus a booming population. Inventions such as the cotton gin and the power loom
led to a new labor system of mass-producing: the factory. A new social class of factory
workers was created. As a result of the growing number of the factories, prices of goods
lowered and items were more available to the poor. The economy was not based on the
agricultural system anymore, but on machine-produced goods.
The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Freiderich Engles, was another direct
result of the Industrial Revolution. Marx wrote about the injustice that he saw between
the poor factory workers, who had to suffer grueling conditions, and the aristocrats who
were gaining wealth as the factories produced and prospered. The saying "Man is made
alien by man" is based on Marx's observation of the Industrial Revolution. He saw that
the poor workers were only making themselves poorer and making the rich richer as they
worked. The Communist Manifesto described a classless society in which everyone was
equal. The ideas of the Communist Manifesto and Communism spread until 1/3 of the world's
population was communist. However, the effects of the Communist Manifesto were also
effects of the Industrial Revolution. Had there been no Industrial Revolution, the
existence of the Communist Manifesto would be questionable. 
Although the Communist Manifesto affects many people's lives today, the Industrial
Revolution reaches out to almost everybody. Communism is hard to live by. It ideals are
to perfect and impossible to reach. However, capitalism is favored by human nature. Our
society is based on material possessions. We have a market economy that is centered on
trading goods. We work to make money, and that is what we base our lives upon- making
enough money for survival. Without the Industrial Revolution, our society would be much
different. Imagine a world without toilets, electricity, factories and smog. Our economy
would probably still be agricultural, instead of technological, and our weak population
would still be suffering from disease and epidemics. Therefore, without the Industrial
Revolution, our world would be much different from today.
It is obvious that the effects of the Industrial revolution were worldwide, unlike the
French and Haitian revolution, which affected only its colonies and surrounding
countries. There is also more evidence of the effects of the Industrial revolution than
the Communist Manifesto, in which the ideas were too ideal and thus did not reach as many
people. As a result of the Industrial revolution, our society is based on money and
capitalism. The Industrial Revolution shaped our society and economy into what it is
today. In conclusion, the Industrial Revolution has the greatest influence on the 20th
century world.