Causes of the Industrial Revolution

There were several important preconditions that brought about the Industrial Revolution. One such precondition was the period of sustainable population growth in the nineteenth century. Contrary to the predictions made by Malthus, agricultural output did not lag behind population increase to the point where the population was limited through starvation. This did not occur for several reasons. One reason was that agricultural technology improved at a rate much faster than had been predicted. Also, while the population increased, it did not do so as quickly as Malthus predicted due to people marrying later as well as other factors.

Increases in agricultural technology were also a precipitating factor of the Industrial Revolution. Some factors that resulted in an increased food supply were the development of better fertilizers, the use of the open prairies in North and South America to raise cattle and grow grain, steel plows, and other technologies. Also, the practice of viewing farming as a business instead of just a way to feed one’s immediate family or society produced more food. However, the agricultural advance with the greatest impact was the ability to store and ship food all over the world using canning and refrigeration. This increased transport of food led to less agriculture in more industrial areas since these industrial areas could  now import food from other regions more easily. The dramatic changes caused by the ability to transport food around the world make this development the most significant precipitating factor for the Industrial Revolution.