2 February 2015
The Industrial Revolution occurred from 1760 to about 1820 and brought about many innovations in technology. New innovations brought around lots of new technology including steam engines and electricity. The Industrial Revolution in Western Europe resulted in many changes politically in many workers rights laws were enacted. Also, it changed economically in that many jobs were in factories, and it changed socially as there was a melting pot effect. Politically the Industrial Revolution has changed Western Europe quite a bit. More rights and policies were argued for throughout the time. Transportation was made expensive by tolls and tariffs in Europe before the Industrial Revolution. After the revolution they were lifted and banks were formed along with joint-stock companies. These companies opened opportunities to get loans for industrialization. This led to factories being made and many people working in the factories. In the factories they got little pay and worked many hours. Children often worked a lot as well. This all required laws like those of the Factory Act of 1833 to be put in protecting the workers to be put in place that restricted hours and work ages. Western Europe was also affected economically by the Industrial Revolution in new technologies and new types of jobs. New technologies played a big role in changing the economics of Western Europe. The steam engine and electricity were big innovations in power types. Also, economically the jobs changed the ways of Western Europe in that time period. More jobs in the city like factory type jobs were being taken because farming jobs were being cut out. With the bigger companies Europe was able to undersell the Indian cotton market. This gave them an economic advantage and set them back a bit in economic advancements. Bigger companies beat the prices of small time farmers and made them move to the cities. The jobs worked long hours and had very little pay involved. Children were in