Question

Why did England industrialize before the rest of Europe?

Answer 1

There are a bundle of reasons for the beginning of the industrial revolution in Britain prior to the rest of Europe. Some of the reasons are geographical, while others are social and political.

The most considered of all are the two factors that helped Britain industrialize before any other country. First there were huge deposits of coal in Britain that could be used to power the new machines. Just as important was the importance of waterways in Britain. There were many navigable rivers and the coal deposits tended to be near those rivers. Britain also had a long and jagged coastline that made transportation by sea easier. In these ways, Britain had the ability to extract coal and to move it about the country relatively easily. This help made industrialization possible.Second most considering factor was the empire that Britain controlled overseas. The british empire provided raw materials for british mills and captive markets for its finished goods. For example, a great deal of the cotton that Britain used in its textile mills came from the american colonies. Since Britain had a larger empire than any other country, it had an advantage in the process of industrializing.

Finally, we can look at political and social factors. Britain had an economy that was much less regulated by than the eeconomies of other countries. The relative laissez-faire system helped to promote innovation of the sort that led to the technology used in the industrial revolution. Britain had also been relatively free from domestic conflict for some time. This made it easier for businesses to grow and prosper. A final factor was the enclosure movement. Britain landlords had been able to push their peasants off the land. Those labour that could be used to work in the new factories that were springing up.

All these factors helped make Britain the first country to industrialize.