Industrialization and Global Power
- Industrialization wasn’t just about new machines, it completely reshaped the global balance of power.
- Countries that industrialized early suddenly had faster economies, stronger armies, and global influence, while regions that industrialized late or unevenly fell behind.
Analogy
- Industrialization was like a global race where some countries got cars while others were still riding horses.
- The nations with engines (factories, coal, steel, guns) shot ahead and became superpowers, while those without were overtaken, pushed aside, or controlled by the ones speeding ahead.
How did industrialization alter global power?
1. Industrialized nations gained massive economic strength
- Factories produced goods at record speed.
- Industrial countries could sell more, trade more, and generate more wealth.
Example
- Britain became the “workshop of the world”, exporting textiles, iron, and machinery everywhere.
2. Military power increased dramatically
- Industrialization produced:
- steel battleships
- mass-produced weapons
- railways to move soldiers quickly
Example
- Britain used industrial technology to control sea routes.
- Japan, after industrializing, defeated Russia in 1905: the first time an Asian power beat a major European empire in modern war.
3. Empires expanded using industrial power
- Industrialized countries could dominate less-industrialized ones through:
- superior weapons
- faster transport (steamships, railways)
- big, organised bureaucracies
Example
- Britain took control of India using modern military technology.
- France expanded across North and West Africa using steam-powered logistics.
4. Global trade became unequal
- Early industrializers controlled:
- manufacturing
- shipping
- banks
- insurance
- global prices
- Meanwhile, many non-industrial regions were pushed into being exporters of raw materials rather than finished goods.
Example
- Egypt exported cotton to British mills, instead of processing it.
- Latin America sold coffee, sugar, and minerals but had few factories.
Why did some regions industrialize faster?
Different regions developed at different speeds because of resources, politics, and history.
1. Access to raw materials
- Industrialization required cheap fuel and metals.
- Coal and iron → fast industrialization
- No coal or metal → slow industrialization
Example
- Fast industrializers:
- Britain (huge coalfields)
- Germany (Ruhr region: coal + iron)
- USA (Appalachian coal + iron ore)
- Slow/late:
- Italy (little coal)
- Spain (patchy coal, poor transport)
- China (had resources but lacked transport + political stability to use them effectively in the 1800s)
2. Capital (money) and investors
- Factories were expensive.
- Regions with wealthy merchants and banks could build them quickly.
Example
- Fast:
- Britain: wealthy merchant class from empire trade
- Belgium: investors poured money into coal and steel
- Japan: government-funded modernisation during the Meiji period
- Slow:
- Russia: limited private investment before the late 1800s
- India: colonial policies discouraged local industrial investment
3. Transport and infrastructure
- Railways, canals, ports, and good roads allowed:
- coal to reach factories
- goods to reach markets
- workers to move between cities
Example
- Fast:
- Britain built canals early and railways first
- USA used railways to connect vast regions
- Slow:
- Ottoman Empire lacked rail networks until late 19th century
- China struggled with internal transport and relied on slow river routes
4. Skilled labour and education
- Industrial regions needed:
- engineers
- mechanics
- literate workers
Example
- Fast:
- Germany created technical universities
- Japan set up engineering schools after 1868
- Slow:
- Many African and Asian colonies lacked engineering or technical education because colonial powers didn't invest in it
5. Political stability
- Investors avoided unstable regions.
Example
- Fast:
- Britain (stable parliamentary system)
- Japan after the Meiji Restoration
- Slow:
- Latin America (frequent wars + coups)
- Qing China (rebellions like Taiping)
6. Cultural attitudes
- Societies that valued innovation and experimentation moved faster.
Example
- Fast:
- Britain embraced inventors and patent culture
- Japan actively adopted Western technology
- Slow:
- Tokugawa Japan pre-1868 resisted foreign ideas
- Qing China had conservative elites who distrusted industrial reforms
How industrialization reshaped the world
1. New global hierarchy
- Early industrializers → superpowers
- Late industrializers → dependent or colonized
2. The “Great Divergence”
- Western Europe and later Japan surged ahead economically while parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America lagged.
3. Competition between industrial powers
- Industrial nations competed for:
- markets
- raw materials
- global influence
- This rivalry contributed to imperialism and, eventually, World War I.
Self review
- Why did industrialized countries gain more military power than non-industrialized ones?
- How did industrialization change global trade relationships?
- Which factor (raw materials, capital, transport, labour, politics, culture) do you think mattered most for industrialisation? Why?
- Why did Japan catch up quickly while China industrialized slowly in the 19th century?
Common Mistake
- Thinking industrialisation happened everywhere at the same time.
- It was uneven: Britain and the U.S. moved fast; India and China much slower.
- Assuming resources alone guarantee success.
- China had coal but lacked stability + transport.
- Believing industrialization only affected factories.
- It changed power, warfare, empires, social structures, and global trade.
- Assuming non-industrial regions “chose” not to industrialize.
- Often colonial policies prevented industrial growth.
