8. Industrial Revolutions

European Civilization, 1648-1945 (HIST 202)

The Industrial Revolution was for a long time treated as a decisive break in which some countries, specifically England, innovated and progressed rapidly while others were left behind. This type of analysis lead many historians to overlook the more gradual process of industrialization in countries like France, and the persistence of older methods of artisanal production alongside new forms of mechanization. To understand the Industrial Revolution it is also necessary to take into account the Agricultural Revolution; the consequences of these twin developments include urban expansion and the "proletarianization" of rural laborers. Among the consequences of industrialization for workers are the imposition of industrial discipline and the emergence of schemes such as Taylorism dedicated to more efficiently exploiting industrial labor.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Industrialization as an Intensification of Existing Forms of Production
09:45 - Chapter 2. The English Catalysts: The Agricultural Revolution and Increasing Urban Populations
16:29 - Chapter 3. Women's Work in the Industrial Revolution
20:12 - Chapter 4. The Rise of Class Consciousness
34:34 - Chapter 5. Industrial Discipline and the Rise of the Foreman

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Fall 2008.