THE FOUR INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS
DEFINE THE TERM INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
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The Industrial Revolution was a period of major industrialization and innovation that took place during the late 1700s and early 1800s. The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain and quickly spread throughout the world. The American Industrial Revolution commonly referred to as the second Industrial Revolution, started sometime between 1820 and 1870. This time period saw the mechanization of agriculture and textile manufacturing as well as a revolution in power, including steamships and railroads, that affected social, cultural, and economic conditions.
Although the Industrial Revolution occurred approximately 200 years ago, it is a period in time that left a profound impact on how people lived and the way businesses operated. Arguably, the factory systems developed during the Industrial Revolution are responsible for the creation of capitalism and the modern cities of today. Prior to the revolution, most Americans earned a living farming, and with the advance of factories, people began working for companies located in urban areas for the first time. Although the wages were low and conditions were often harsh, working for businesses paid a better living than farming.
Production efficiency improved during the Industrial Revolution with inventions such as the steam engine, which dramatically reduced the time it took to manufacture products. More efficient production subsequently reduced prices for products, primarily due to lower labor costs.
The United States government helped businesses by instituting tariffs or taxes on foreign goods so that products like steel made by U.S. companies was cheaper than foreign imports. Cheaper steel prices encouraged the development of infrastructure such as railroads and bridges during the American Industrial Revolution.
The First Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution in Britain came in to introduce machines into production by the end of the 18th century (1760-1840). This included going from manual production to the use of steam-powered engines and water as a source of power.
This helped agriculture greatly and the term “factory” became a little popular. One of the industries that benefited a lot from such changes is the textile industry, and was the first to adopt such methods. It also constituted a huge part of the British economy at the time.
The Second Industrial Revolution
The second one dates between 1870 and 1914 (although some of its characteristics date back to the 1850) and introduced pre-existing systems such as telegraphs and railroads into industries. Perhaps the defining characteristic of that period was the introduction of mass production as a primary means to production in general.
The electrification of factories contributed hugely to production rates. The mass production of steel helped introduce railways into the system, which consequently contributed to mass production. Innovations in chemistry, such as the invention of the synthetic dye, also mark such period as chemistry was in a rather primitive state then.
However, such revolutionary approaches to industry were put to an end with the start of World War I. Mass production, of course, was not put to an end, but only developments within the same context were made and none of which can be called industrial revolutions.
The Third Industrial Revolution
Perhaps the third one is much more familiar to us than the rest as most people living today are familiar with industries leaning on digital technologies in production. However, the third industrial revolution is dated between 1950 and 1970.
It is often referred to as the Digital Revolution, and came about the change from analog and mechanical systems to digital ones.
Others call it the Information Age too. The third revolution was, and still is, a direct result of the huge development in computers and information and communication technology.
The Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution
The social impact of industrialization was profound. For the first time since the Neolithic Revolution, people worked outside of the local environment of their homes. They arose every morning and traveled to their place of employment. This was most often in a workplace known as a factory. The new machinery of the Industrial Revolution was very large and sometimes required acres of floor space to hold the number of machines needed to keep up with consumer demand.
As in all productive revolutions, skill greatly determined the quality of life. The most important aspect of this new economic order was the fact that the skills needed to succeed were in many ways different from those that had been needed in the earlier economy. Artisans had the easiest time transitioning to the new economic paradigm. The fact that they had highly developed manual skills enabled them to adapt to the new machinery much easier than their agricultural counterparts. This was also the case when it came to dealing with the new, enclosed work environment and strict schedules. The worker from the countryside had over the centuries constructed a cycle of labor that followed the seasons. There were times, especially during planting and harvesting, when he was expected to put in long hours, usually from sunrise to sunset. The term "harvest moon," which today is looked upon as a quaint metaphor for autumn celebrations, was in preindustrial Europe a much-needed astronomical occurrence that allowed the farmer extra time to harvest his crops. In turn, the long winter months were a relatively easy time. The lack of electricity and central heating kept most people in bed ten to twelve hours a day, affording them relief from the busy periods of planting and harvesting.
As in all productive revolutions, skill greatly determined the quality of life. The most important aspect of this new economic order was the fact that the skills needed to succeed were in many ways different from those that had been needed in the earlier economy. Artisans had the easiest time transitioning to the new economic paradigm. The fact that they had highly developed manual skills enabled them to adapt to the new machinery much easier than their agricultural counterparts. This was also the case when it came to dealing with the new, enclosed work environment and strict schedules. The worker from the countryside had over the centuries constructed a cycle of labor that followed the seasons. There were times, especially during planting and harvesting, when he was expected to put in long hours, usually from sunrise to sunset. The term "harvest moon," which today is looked upon as a quaint metaphor for autumn celebrations, was in preindustrial Europe a much-needed astronomical occurrence that allowed the farmer extra time to harvest his crops. In turn, the long winter months were a relatively easy time. The lack of electricity and central heating kept most people in bed ten to twelve hours a day, affording them relief from the busy periods of planting and harvesting.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production. The Second used electric power to create mass production. The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production. Now a Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century. It is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.
There are three reasons why today’s transformations represent not merely a prolongation of the Third Industrial Revolution but rather the arrival of a Fourth and distinct one: velocity, scope, and systems impact. The speed of current breakthroughs has no historical precedent. When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace. Moreover, it is disrupting almost every industry in every country. And the breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance.
The possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge, are unlimited. And these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing.
There are three reasons why today’s transformations represent not merely a prolongation of the Third Industrial Revolution but rather the arrival of a Fourth and distinct one: velocity, scope, and systems impact. The speed of current breakthroughs has no historical precedent. When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace. Moreover, it is disrupting almost every industry in every country. And the breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance.
The possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge, are unlimited. And these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing.
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