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- While the effects of the Industrial Revolution on social bonds and the like can be debated, it’s clear that the process brought unprecedented material prosperity. Here are some resources refuting the Marxist interpretation of the Industrial Revolution as harmful to the working class.
- Ludwig von Mises on the Industrial Revolution in Human Action
- Wendy McElroy on the impact of the Industrial Revolution on women
- F.A. Hayek’s Capitalism and the Historians
- Unfortunately, the best known historian of the Industrial Revolution is probably Marxist Eric Hobsbawm; see his Age of Revolution or Industry and Empire for examples of his writing.
- See the writings of 19th-century author Samuel Smiles for biographical information on the great figures of the Industrial Revolution.
Industrial Revolution on the Continent – Quiz
- True/False: Industrialization proceeded at a uniform pace across the European continent in the 19th century.
- _________________ was the first continental country to industrialize.
- Identify at least two reasons why industrialization was slow in France.
- The ________________ was a customs union organized by Prussia and including most of the north German states.
- Identify at least two reasons why Southern and Eastern Europe industrialized very slowly.
- Identify at least two impacts of industrialization on the continent.
- False
- Belgium
- top-down implementation; population grew slowly and was more stable on the land
- Zollverein
- few natural resources; cultural prejudice against commerce; top-down control by the State
- urbanization; concentrations of poverty; debate over gender roles