The Industrial Revolution facilitated increased production and consumption, benefiting society through improved efficiency and transportation, exemplified by the growth of industries like cotton mills in Manchester. However, it exacerbated wealth inequality and led to urban problems such as pollution and crime, while reflecting the interests of the elite. Industrial reform progressed slowly from 1815 to 1914 due to the emergence of the bourgeoisie, the capitalists' desire to maintain power, and a slowdown in technological advancements.

1. Describe two benefits of the industrial revolution and two problems it caused. Make sure that
your answer is not focused only on the early years of the industrial
revolution. Why do you think industrial reform came so slowly between 1815 and 1914?
Solution
Benefits:
1)As the scale of production of goods increased under the capitalist model, people from all
sections of society were able to enjoy consumption of products that were previously considered
an luxury for the few.
the city of Manchester, the numerous cotton mills set up there produced sufficient goods to
supply to the local markets and also export the surplus to other countries.Along with this, the
industrial revolution brought the concept of the overall efficiency of the production process.
Terms such as efficiency and quality were given emphasis, the benefits of which are transferred
to the end consumer.
2)Transportation and technology - the expansion of business and factories expanded our
transportation network out of necessity and brought us canals, highways and turnpikes. It better
connected us together as a society. We also saw technological innovation like interchangeable
parts (Eli Whitney) and the textile mill (Samuel Slater) which revolutionized how we lived.
Problems:
1) Factories that produce goods on a massive scale are the most prominent symbols of the
industrial revolution. Such a radical transformation was allowed to happen because it suited the
interests of the aristocracy and nobility of the time. The ruling elite of England were also the
owners of most the country’s wealth and it suited their interest to perpetuate a method that
maintained status quo. This meant that the prevailing inequities in distribution of wealth
accentuated further as the industrial revolution marched on. Some intellectuals have cited this as
the major problem with the capitalist model and have hence condemned the revolution as
socially unjust.
2)The other criticism that is leveled against large-scale industries is their tendency to accelerate
the process of urbanization and ultimately contribute to pollution and squalor. For example, the
issues of overpopulation, petty crime, prostitution and pollution in the industrial city of
Manchester are well documented by Kishlansky and other scholars.
Why do you think industrial reform came so slowly between 1815 and 1914?

2. there is an interesting reason why the industrial reforms process was sluggish during the
nineteenth century. One of the main reasons for this slowing down is the sprouting up of a new
class of people called the bourgeoisie. In the feudal system that preceded the capitalist system,
there were only two classes – the landowning class and the peasantry. But with the onset of the
industrial revolution, a whole new social class was created, which made the capitalists feel
insecure and vulnerable. Hence one could see during the period of the nineteenth century, an
attempt by the capitalists to retain their power and influence over the rest, which slowed
industrial reform. Moreover, the industrial revolution is precipitated by rapid strides in
technological innovation. But scientific advancements that aided industrial production processes
happened less frequently during the nineteenth century, which explains the sluggish pace of
industrial reform. Moreover, the onset of the First World War in the year 1914 acted as a major
stimulus for European powers to accelerate the process of industrialization as a way of gaining
advantage over their warring opponents.