The Industrial Revolution1
It has, been variously called the "Western Miracle" (Rosenberg and Birdzell 42) and the "European Miracle," (Jones) but it is commonly known as the Industrial Revolution. Subsequent to the Middle Ages, populations in Western Europe began developing technology that enhanced their ability to generate products and which led to significantly higher standards of living than populations elsewhere on the planet. It should be noted that this does not suggest that the quality of life was better for the Europeans, only that even the poorest European was materially better off than his counterpart in India or China. This research examines why the Industrial Revolution took place in Europe, and why it did not occur elsewhere, specifically Asia. Analysts who have taken on the question of why the industrial revolution occurred in Europe have proposed several theories, each of which, alone, fails to adequately explain the phenomenon. Some have attributed the industrialization to imperialism, but some economically successful countries grew prosperous before imperialism and some, such as Norway and Switzerland, avoided imperialism altogether. Possession of natural resources has also been put forth as a possibl
In 1500, Europe was third in population in the world, behind China and India. At the same time, those areas which were agriculturally rich and oversupplied in human capital were able to release some of that capital to the city to undertake job opportunities. Europe was apparently in a better position to take advantage of the knowledge that began to rapidly accumulate as a result of the renaissance (much of it from Asian and Islamic cultures). At the war's end, economic relations and trade had broken down. The industrial revolution, then, occurred in the west because of inherently different social structures. Europeans enjoyed better clothing, more varied food, more furniture and more household utensils than did their counterparts in China and India. marriages were delayed, and fewer children were born in the west. Recovery from natural disasters in Asia was also a long and drawn out process when compared to that of the Europeans. Bristol boasted a mere 20,000, and Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham had only 10,000. As a result, technology and science became linked (Rosenberg and Birdzell 48). The Thames provided good water communication upstream, and, via the open sea, along the coast and with Europe. Fewer floods and earthquakes eliminated the need for much surplus population. In India and the orient, there was a decided emphasis on having numerous children, marrying off daughters as soon as they were physically able, and favoring sons over daughters. The Europeans, conversely, had adopted another tack.
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