Comment on the positive and negative effects of the British Industrial

Revolution

谈论英国工业革命的积极和消极影响

Abstract：The positive and negative effects the British Industrial

Revolution,including industry、environment、employment(women and children workers) and the effects which are related to other countries in the world,especially China.

摘要：英国工业革命的积极影响和消极影响，包括工业方面、环境方面、就业（女工和童工）以及它对世界其他各国尤其是中国的影响 关键词：积极、消极、影响、工业、环境、就业、其他国家、中国

Key Words:Positive、 negative、 effects、 industry、 environment、

employment 、other countries 、China

What is known to us all is that the British Industrial Revolution makes a big difference all over the world,especially in British and European and American continent.Just like everything has two sides,it brings us about so many advantages and some ill effects.

The British Industrial Revolution took place in the middle of England in 1700s.It has a big effect on all the European continent.And it gradually sets in motion in other parts of the world.The British Industrial Revolution is also named the British Property Revolution.It is a great revolution which brings about a new tims in modern history of the world

of produce and technology. The British Industrial Revolution is a long term which indicates the invention and appliance of various complicated machines rather than tools in production and variation from a ruralagricultural and commercial society to a progressive ruralindustrial society. Old ideas were modified, not swept away, and new ideas gradually took place. The changes forever change city life, social class structure, the power of the British nation amongst others of the world, the production of machinery, and the strength of the economy of Britain. This revolution is the work of birth, and also rebirth the Great Britain.

From the 18th to well into the 19th century,the famous Industrial Revolution from where the greatest changes in several parts made a profound effect on the whole society in the United Kingdom, then subsequently spreading throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the whole world.It goes without saying that the agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transport, and technologyhave already undergone massive changes in the blink of an eye. The Industrial Revolution is considered amajor turning point in human historyalmost every aspect of daily life was eventually influenced to some degree. Most notably, the population began to display unprecedented sustained growth and thequality of people’s lives improved dramatically. As the words said by Nobel Prize winning Robert E. Lucas, Jr.,\living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to undergo

sustained growth.

Nothing remotely like this economic behavior has happened before.\in British would surely have the most effects on large sections of its society through new inventions, new legislation, and spawned a new economy.Work became more disciplined and mechanized, and began to take place outside the home. Women and children can take the place of some skilled tradesmen with the help of inventions. The movement of the exploding population to the cities from the countryside produced dramatic changes in lifestyle. At that time, resistance to the changes in the form of machine-breaking riots also appeared, but ultimately failed.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the life could be characterized as very slow and backward. During this time, changes in technologies and commerce sectors were very imperceptible. And the population increase depended on the productivity, while the living standards maintained the same. At first, England was mainly an agricultural country; more than three-fourths of the population lived in rural districts. The cities except London were very small, even the second largest city Bristol could only boast a population of 30,000. Existing industry was mostly domestic, which means that the industry took place in the homesor cottages of the workers, so it also called “cottage industry”. Farming was the predominant occupation.Cloth manufacture was often a cooperative

activity shared by all members of the family. Most products were made by hand, and the tools were old-fashioned, for instance, people just used spinning wheel and hand loom while spinning and weaving.

The beginning of the Industrial Revolution There are debates on the exact sign of the Industrial Revolution. Many historians now believe that the Industrial Revolution began in 1709, the year in which a method for smelting iron with coal and lime was discovered, while others believe that at least by 1718, when a silk factory was equipped with power machinery. Of course, it was not until 1830, the industry had completed all of the technical changes which defined the Industrial Revolution. Every step added another link to the chain of an industrial evolution which amounted to a “revolution”. The causes of the Industrial Revolution It is a necessary result of the social development in Britain. The bourgeoisie in Britain accomplished its “primitive accumulation of capital” through plunder and expansion. First of all, the population increased in the 18th century. There was need for more food and goods. People had to find ways to increase production. Then, new machines were invented. They changed the way of production in farms and factories. Production was increased more quickly. This brought about the Industrial Revolution. Third, the Europeans set up more colonies overseas in order to open markets that were ready to absorb more manufactured goods. Fourthly, more capital was accumulatedfrom trade which provided