FIVE CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN ENGLAND ARE: 1 POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COMPETITION IN EUROPEThough the European states had frequently fought amongst each other for many centuries, by the mid-18th century many of them were rising colonial powers. What was at stake now was competition for being a global world superpower. In the beginning of the 18th century, Britain had just a quarter and two thirds the population of France and Spain respectively. It was thus under constant pressure fighting against these perennial and larger enemies. The British engaged in many major wars during this period like Austrian war of succession (1740-48), Seven Years‘ War (1756-63), American Revolutionary War (1775-83) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803-15) to name a few. The need to keep up with the enemy put tremendous pressure on the country to produce more. This desperate need incentivized the invention of labour-saving devices, which played a key role in the revolution.

#2 SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION IN EUROPEMost historians do not agree on the exact period of the Scientific Revolution in Europe. Many define it within the times of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) and Isaac Newton (1642-1727). The Scientific Revolution refers to European developments changing conceptual, cultural, social and institutional relationships involving nature, knowledge and belief. In the early 16th century, Copernicus presented his simple heliocentric hypothesis. With the bold claim that the Earth moves around the sun, Copernicus challenged tradition, the authority of the scriptures and the established views in the universities and the church.

#3 AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION IN BRITAINThe British Agricultural Revolution refers to the unprecedented rise in agricultural production in Britain from the 17th to mid-19th century. Agricultural changes started in Europe in Belgium and Holland. They revolved around intensive farming methods like:-

Crop rotation – the practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons to help restore plant nutrients

Enclosed fields – putting common grazing grounds under cultivation by establishing exclusive ownership of those lands.

Using an improved version of the Chinese Plough

#4 GOVERNMENT POLICIESDuring 18th century Britain there was a long time constitutional monarchy and the nation was politically more stable than its challengers like France and Spain. This allowed for better policy formation and implementation. The government maintained a patent system which gave exclusive rights over innovations to their inventors for a limited number of years. This hugely helped in financing of newer ideas. The enclosure system allowed private ownership of farm lands which were common before thereby encouraging capitalism and forming the industrial class of the future. Another important policy was allowing the inflow of immigrants for enhancing the skill and development of the industry which also led to the weakening of the guilds. Contrary policies in other European states is often cited as a major reason for their delayed industrialization.

#5 POLITICAL INFLUENCE OVER INDIA AND OTHER COLONIESBy the mid-18th century Britain had a sizeable overseas empire and their victories at the battles of Plassey and Buxar had given them political influence over major parts of India, especially in the cotton industries and trade hub of Bengal. Control over India, the cotton producing and manufacturing hub of the world, would fuel the demand for invention of cotton spinning machines in Britain.

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