IND - Second Wave Industrialization and its Effects (Lesson)

Second Wave Industrialization and its Effects

Change is good

While change is not always good, many of the developments of the late 19th- and early 20th-century made a better way of life for Europeans, especially the British. Innovations and advances in technology occurred that brought about both economic and social changes.

Manchester, England

By 1914, mechanization and the factory system had become the predominant mode of production in Europe. Manchester, England was an excellent example of that. It was the center of textile manufacturing, especially cotton processing. Because of the economic opportunities, people moved to Manchester in large numbers during the 19th century. This population growth allowed for a larger available workforce and Manchester soon expanded from just textile to secondary manufacturing. It became known as the first industrial city and the owners provided the capital and resources while the plentiful unskilled labor worked the newly developed machines.  While the growth of industrialization brought wealth to Manchester, it also brought poverty and crime, which we will review later.

 

The Krupp Family

While industrialization began in Great Britain, it didn’t take long for some of the countries on the continent to catch up. The Krupp family of Essen controlled a business that produced steel, artillery, and ammunition. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Krupp Corporation was the largest company in Europe. The Krupps continuously invested in new technology including the Bessemer Process which allowed for the mass production of steel. This allowed for the increased production of steel to help build the railroads the continent needed to catch up with Great Britain.

 

Change is Necessary

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the rate at which new technologies developed was astounding. Besides the Bessemer process, there was mass production which allowed factories to produce items in very large amounts. Once the factories were set to create that one product, it was easy to create many of them. This was usually done through the implementation of assembly lines, where each person had a specific job to do when creating a product and interchangeable parts.

The harnessing of electricity, as well as the invention of the light bulb, made major changes in industry.  Having electric lights allowed factories to produce for much longer hours during the day, thereby, having time to double or triple their previous output. Factories could run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with electricity because the workers could see. Also, the use of electricity led to the development of electric machinery. Electricity could now power the same machines that had previously been powered by water. Prior to electricity, many factories had to be located on moving rivers in order to have the water to create power. Now, factories could be located away from water sources and still have power.

Chemicals were used for different reasons as well. From an agricultural standpoint, chemicals were used as fertilizers. This increased the output of agricultural products and made it possible to feed the growing city populations. Chemicals were also used in the textile industry, especially in the area of synthetic dyes. Prior to this, textiles, such as cotton and linen, had to be dyed with natural dyes. That limited the colors that material could be dyed. Now, with the use of synthetic, chemical dyes, the range of colors was widely expanded.  

New industries also developed from these innovations including an expanded chemical industry as well as electricity and other utilities. These industries supported both the textile industry as well as other businesses and homes. The growth of the electricity grid allowed electricity to flow into people’s houses with the outcome of improving their lives.

 

New Inventions in Communication and Transportation

As industries grew and new technology was developed, there were new inventions to make communication and transportation easier. These new methods of transportation improved the distribution of goods. 

• Telegraph - A method of communication using a system of dashes and dots (Morse Code). Messages were sent along lines that ran along the railroad lines and the message was interpreted by the person receiving the message who would then deliver it to the recipient.
• Telephone - Invented by Alexander Graham Bell. Allowed communication by voice over long distances.
• Radio - The transmission of radio waves from a transmitter through an antenna to a radio receiver. 
• Steamship - Ships that have engines that are powered by steam. Coal was generally used to create the heat necessary to create the steam from water. This steam propelled the ship.
• Railroad - Method of steel tracks and cars that run along the tracks that allow for the movement of goods and passengers.
• Airplane - Invented by the Wright Brothers. Allows for air travel of people and the movement of goods by air.
• Refrigerated rail cars - Cars that are refrigerated and moved by train engine. Allows for the movement of perishable food over long distances without spoilage.

• Ice boxes - Much like the modern refrigerator. The ice box had a place for a large block of ice, usually delivered by the ice man. This kept items inside the icebox cool.
• Streetcars - Cars that ran along a track on the street allowing for public transportation.
• Bicycles - Two-wheeled pedaled vehicles that allowed for transportation around the cities.

The new methods of transportation and new, innovative products created a demand scenario where consumerism developed. Advertisement and marketing campaigns were launched to entice people to buy these new products. People were willing to pay money to have the newest items. Examples of this would include the automobile.

Leisure trips became important as well. The middle class was growing as factory owners were making a large amount of money. This allowed them to spend time with their families, including trips for fun. This is also the time of the growth of professional and leisure sports for the purpose of entertainment.

 

Second Time Around

During the Second Industrial Revolution (1870 - 1914), there was more industrial activity in Europe as well as more complicated industrial processes. Governments continued to support and invest in industry and technology. However, the normal business cycles that occurred in the last 25 years of the 19th century encouraged corporations and governments to try to manage the markets. By this, they tried to control the amount of money they made as well as the competition in their fields. For example, some corporations worked to achieve a monopoly status which means they were the only supplier of that good or service and could set the market price. Banking practices were implemented to cause the least amount of loss for corporations and tariffs were put on imported manufactured goods so that prices for domestic goods would be lower and people would choose to buy the lower priced product.  By doing this, countries would make more of a profit.

One of the hallmarks of the Second Industrial Revolution is the continuation of plentiful agricultural harvests that provided food for a growing population. The change from individual farms to commercial agriculture offered a more stable output. This abundance of food not only promoted population growth but led to longer life expectancy and lower infant mortality because people had better nutrition which led to a longer life. Pregnant mothers had access to healthy foods which allowed them to carry babies to term and have healthier infants. Those infants had a better chance of survival because there was enough food for them to eat.

Watch the video, from Paul Sargent, below to find out more.

 

 

I’ll Buy That

The end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century brought an increase in consumerism. People had more money and there were more things to spend it on. More consumer goods to purchase meant that advertising increased to entice people to purchase items. Large department stores were built that carried a multitude of items under one room. This was in direct contrast to previous shopping experiences where shoppers had to visit multiple stores, each with their own specialty. Catalogs were created to provide an opportunity for people to purchase items without having to travel to the cities, the home of the department stores.

Because of the availability of textiles, the amount and cost of clothing decreased. People who had only owned a few pieces of clothing now purchased large amounts of the same. Clothing was no longer just about covering one’s body. It because more of a statement and the fashion industry was born.

Another area that grew was the processed food market. The development of new technology allowed for food to be processed and canned. This significantly decreased the amount of time required to prepare meals, thereby providing the family with more leisure opportunities 

 

Industrialization in Prussia

At the time of industrialization on the continent of Europe, Germany was not yet a unified country. However, the German stature of Prussia led the way in the Zollverein. This was the creation of a customs union or economic union of Germanic states. This union had the goal to move goods within the states without tariffs. German states definitely made substantial gains in industrialization, especially in iron and coal. This was the economic unification that set the groundwork for the political unification to follow, led by Prussia. They invested in expanding the railroad, a process that was made easier because of the steel they were able to produce due to the iron ore.

 

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In your notes, respond to the following.

• Define what is meant by the “Second Industrial Revolution.” How did it differ from its predecessor?
• How did Industrialization differ in Western Europe vs Central Europe?

 

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