Form Six History Notes Topic 1 The Rise Of Capitalism In Europe

The Rise Of Capitalism In Europe

 

Transition From Feudalism To Agrarian Revolution

Feudalism is a term delivered from the latin word “feudum” meaning fief or an estate of land held on behalf of a lord and in return the holder of the land offered military service and other services to the lord.

Thus, a feudal society is the one in which the basic social and political structure are determined by a practice of fief holding. In other words, feudalism is based on holding of land for renting.

A feudal mode of production, therefore, was based on lord’s ownership of the land as well as incomplete or partial ownership of the peasants and serfs living on the land. The dependent serfs farmed and ran small economies on the land belonging to the feudal lords. Moreover, the relationship between the land lord and his tenants (serfs) was not only an economic one but also social one. The tenant was a vassal of the lord, that is her or she was bound to the lord by special oath of loyalty.

The basic features of feudalism

i. There was bounded relationship between the lords and tenants. The lord normally exercised right of jurisdiction in the land which he held as a fief. The landlord was a governor of the fief.

ii. There was antagonistic classes of lords and the serfs. The function was mainly due to exploitative tendencies of the lords. The lords exploited the serfs.

iii. Under feudalism the two dominant classes were feudal lords and tenants. Tenants were attached to the soils for the production of substance as well as surplus. The surplus was consumed mainly by the landlords.

iv.  Production was for subsistence i.e. serfs producers mainly for food and less for exchange.

v.Feudalism in Europe went hand with the building of armies. The armies and other willing class –kings and nobles supported themselves from the produce of their estates. Serfs were the producer in the lords or willing class estates.

vi. In feudalism the feudal activities were basically agrarian (for food production) although few industries existed, many people were attached to the soil, that is cultivating the soil to earn a living.

Agrarian Revolution In Britian

Agrarian revolution refers to the rapid changes which occurred in agriculture sector. The changes were accompanied by the application of science and technology.  In Britain, agriculture revolution happened between the 16^th Century and 18^th Century.

Before the agrarian revolution in Britain, agricultural production was very low. The low productions of agricultural produce were party caused by the land tenure. Land was divided, owned and worked by serfs or peasants. Most of the land was also left fallow ie the large part of the land was not under farming. In addition to low production in agricultural the majority of population in pre-agranal revolution. britian engaged themselves in agriculture. It is estimated that eight percent of Britian’s population were working on the land. Generally, there was low production in agricultural sector before the agrarian revolution. However, there was an increment in agricultural production because changes which constituted agranian revolution.

This is the drastic change in agricultural production through better technique, methods and land tenure. It started in 1450 -1750 but reached maturity in 1801. Agranian revolution started in Netherland-Holland and later English.

Causes of Agrarian revolution

The changes in agricultural production were caused mainly by two factors:

i. The first cause was the rapid increase of population. The large population necessitated the changes in the methods on producing crops and animals so as to cope with the high demand of force from the populate.

The population of Europe as a world and Britian in particular was steadily increasing between 15^th and 18^th centuries, For example the population of Europe rose from sixty –nine million people to 188million people between 15^th and 18^th centuries. This increase of population mainly happened in the cities and towns.

ii. The second factor was high demand of wool. The high demand of wool led to sheep commercial farming. The commercial sheep farming in the 16^th century due to the demand of wool clothes.

Changes that took place during Agrarian revolution

The agrarian revolution in Britian entailed the following changes

Crop rotation. Unlike the pre-agranian revolution times, farmers of 16^th and 18^th centuries Britian started to practice crop rotation. They rotated cereal crops with legumes and fodder crops. Legumes crop-peas, beans and clovers-restored nitrogen in the soil. Nitrogen makes soil fertile. One example of farmer who in 1730 grew fodder crops in rotation with other crops was lord Town shed.

The second change was the introduction of new crops in Britian crops such as maize, sweat potatoes and fodder crops were introduced in England from the Americans. The introduction fodder crops led to the constant supply of meat throughout the year because the presence of fodder crops made it possible to make bay for use during writer.  This was sharp departure from the pre-agrarian revolution error when all the cattle and other animals were slaughetered during writer for lack of feed.

The use of improved farm instrument. Examples of instruments which were used included iron plough and JethroTull’s seed drill.

Extensive use of time to neutralize soil acidity. In addition to liming, farmers applied fertilizers in their farms.

Land reclamation. In order to get more arable land big farmers embarked on draining swam ply land, for example: King Charles I of England financed a Dutch expert- Cornelius Vermigden- to drain Yorkshire and Cambridge shire. Irrigation also practiced during the agricultural revolution.
Another aspect of the agrarian revolution was the improvement in animal breeding. Better horses, cattle and sheep were raised. It was during the agrarian revolution that farmers kept animals for multipurpose. For example, a farmer in Leicester called Bake well produced a large quantities of beef and mutton to feed millions of people.
The agrarian revolution involved the evection of serfs and peasants from the land for pasture i.e. Enclosure of the land.

How Agrarian Revolution Led To The Capitalism In Europe

The agrarian revolution had a number of contributions to the rise capitalism in Europe.

Increase of supply of food to the growing population in cities including workers in the factories.
The agrarian revolution especially the enclosing of land released to the growing workers in the
The agrarian revolution especially the enclosing of land released or supplied cheap labours to industries. Many serfs and peasants who were evicted from the land for commercial sheep farming (enclosure) were employed in factories in towns and cities.
The agricultural changes also provided market to the industrial manufactured items. In other words, agricultural entrepreneur bought industrial goods needed in agricultural sector.
The change in agriculture supplied raw material needed in industries. One important raw material the agrarian revolution provided to textile industries was wool. Farmers kept sheep commercially for selling wool-wool come from sheep-to industries. In industries the farmers accumulated capital which they invested in industries and trade.
The agricultural revolution also marked the end of small scale or peasant production. The peasant production was replaced by the capitalist farmers.

ENCLOSURE SYSTEM

This means consolidation of scattered enable land and common land into a simple compact area of land that is fenced.

DIFFERENT PROCESS OF ENCLOUSURE SYSTEM

I. Enclosure of common land. This was the enclosure of waste land, the process of enclosure of waste land and common land was carried out in 16^th and 17^th centuries. Sometimes it was an agreement between villages.

II. Enclosure of landlords between 1475 – 1570. This was the period when there was an increase of wool demand due to the expansion of wool.

III. Enclosure of land into strips. This was done by purchasing land from the farmers or owners.

Impacts of the introduction of the Enclosure System in Britain.

i. Freeing of labours from land. Labours were free to sell their labour under their own discretions.

ii.Migration of people.

iii.  Peasants were deprived of the right to own land(common land)

iv.  Labours were turned to commodities.

v.  Rise of unemployment due to emergence of landless people

vi. Made capitalist to own both rural and urban economy (industries and agriculture)

vii.Led to the rise of ploretariants.

RISE OF MERCHANTILISM

MERCHANTILISM

It refers to large scale trade or commercial trade conducted through overseas.

Mercantilism: Is the first stage of capitalism that appeared during 15^thC where by trade and commerce was conducted by European countries with the continent of Africa, Asia and America through overseas trade and also silver (precious metal) were used as the coin. Is the period during which feudalism collapsed (demised) as the result of long distance trade conducted between Western Europe countries and other continents in the 15^thC.

OR

Is the first stage of capitalism where by its economic system was based on trade and commerce conducted through over seas trade during 15^thC-18^thC and during this trade a country attracted itself to the use of precious metals (gold and silver) in European transaction.

THE MAIN FEATURES/CHARACTERISTICS OF MERCHANTILISM

1.      National Unification

Is the unifying of small states to form one strong state for expansion of internal market, removal of trade barriers and the use of raw materials and other sources available in the same nation. Therefore during the period of merchantilism many European countries were undergoing national unification so as to become one strong state and be in position to compete with other nations. E.g. England,Wales and Scotland joined to form United Kingdom (Great Britain).

2.      Bullionism

During this period there was adaptation and application of gold and silver as the medium of exchange because gold and silver were used as coins in European transaction; hence European merchants struggled more and more to get gold and silver from different parts of the world like Zimbabwe, Ghana.etc.

3.      Protectionism

During merchantilism European countries protected trade where by each country protected her internal market and natural resources available in a country. This was done in order to protect the interest of trade by not allowing other European countries to compete with them. E.g. United Kingdom protected internal market by acting navigation acts and impose trade barriers such as custom duties and tariff.

4.      National rivalry and militarism.

During the period, merchantilism in many European countries intensified their enemity among themselves which brought constant military confrontation. E.g. Britain fought many wars with French, Spain with Portugal for economic interests. Example Britain decided to undergo navy forces during the rule of Tudor monarchy in order to piracy the wealth of  other European merchants for development of capitalism in Britain.

5.      Colonialism

During this period many European countries began to look for other economic interests in other countries in different parts of the world. The Aim was to colonize countries for economic interests such as raw materials, labour, market and areas for investments. Example The Dutch at the cape of South Africa 1652 where they wanted to control and unite South Africa, Spanish and Portugal wanted to control Australia and Canada.

6.      Banking sector/financial institutions

These financial institutions provided loans and credit to the European merchants in order to continue conducting overseas trade and development of science and technology especially marine technology, ship building, compass direction, compass bearing, etc. These institutions were Barclays bank and house of Lloyd s.

FACTORS/FORCES/CAUSES OF THE RISE OF MERCHANTALISM

There were various factors that led to the rise of merchantalism they are as follows;

1.      Internal trade (inter trade and craft). The Development of guilds and craftsmen during the period of collapse of European feudalism led to the rise of merchantalism because commodities produced by craftsmen  and people who were involved in guilds which accelerated the internal trade example ornaments, plates, mirrors, were later on exported to other parts of the world particularly in Africa, hence the rise of mercantilism.

2.      Periodic exhibition among  European nations. This promoted the existence of overseas trade among European countries, Africa, Asia and America because the new commodities which were exhibited and new technology acted as the acceleration of merchantilism because merchants and other people of different parts of the world were interested to use the commodities that were exhibited.

3.      The development of marine technology with compass direction and compass bearing.

During the 15th century, Europe witnessed rapid changes in scientific curiosity and inquiry. That was a century in which the scientific revolution  took firm roots. Meanwhile marine technology among the European nations enabled the merchants to sail even deep sea. The nations and merchants    also constructed large ships which could carry bulky materials such as cotton, tobacco and minerals. Merchants benefited greatly from the marine  technology as they could sail to various parts of the world.

4.      Development of financial institutions and insurance company. These provided loans; credit and services to European merchants in order to continue involving in trading activities; so the role played by these institutions accumulated more wealth which they used on investment of economic sector hence the rise of merchantalism.

5.      The Rise of strong states and political revolution; this provided security among merchants. Example; British after the revolution which removed King Charles I & II from power gave rise of Tudor monarchy. Example The rise of King Henry the navigator facilitated the rise of merchantalism like loans and credit and in France after king Louis was removed from power, French managed to get involved in merchant trade.

6.      The role played by enclosure system; This was brought by agrarian revolution, it played a great and  important role towards the development of merchantalism because the large scale plantations were established and increase an output of agricultural industrial raw materials like wool, wheat flour, and these agricultural raw materials increased manufactured goods in industries which were needed by European merchants for their own use.

7.      Geographical discovery of the new world by Christopher Columbus on 24.10, 1492; led to establishment of plantation and mines in America, Canada, Peru, Colombia, etc.So the establishment of these needed slave labour from Africa after the failure of the red Indians and expressiveness of European criminals and prisoners, hence this led to the establishment of merchantalism because Europeans were in need of raw materials.

8.      Profitability of unequal exchange; during this period European got more wealth by using illegal ways like piracy, kidnapping etc. but also they used to sell in Africa commodities of low value and things which were unsellable in Europe, things such as mirror, while they obtained things of high value from African continent like Ivory. So this led to the rise and development of merchantalism.

9.      Crusade war; this was a religious war between European (Christians) vs. Arabs (Muslims) in the Middle East near Turkey to control trade and capture the whole city. This made the way to become insecure for European traders but also Arabs controlled the trade routes whereby they increased  tariffs to European traders. This forced Europeans to the alternative way to reach India (Asia) and Africa for conducting trade. Hence development and the rise of merchantilism.

IMPACTS OF MERCHANTALISM IN EUROPE AND AFRICA

Western Europe and Africa had a relationship which ensured the transfer of wealth from Africa to Europe. According to W.Rodney on his book “How Europe under-developed Africa” 1972 argued that; over that period Africa helped to develop Western Europe and at the same time Europe under-developed Africa. Trade helped Europe to get numerous developments also the North America benefited from this merchantalism while Africa did not benefit.

IMPACTS OF MERCHANTALISM IN EUROPE

1.   Gold and silver accumulated during this period played a very important role in expanding capitalist capital in the economy of Western Europe because it was gold and silver that determined the value of capitalist to develop in terms of money.

2.   These trades speed up the European technological development. Example the Trade helped the Europeans in the development of ship building from the 15^thC-19^thC where by sea going vessels of different sizes were designed for slave trade and carrying raw materials from America to Europe and later carry commodities to other parts of the world where markets were available.

3.    Merchantalism led to the rise of Sea ports town like Liverpool, Bristol, etc. in these sea ports towns there was a development of manufacturing centers like Ian Cashing which depended on the growth of the port of river.

4.  Speed up the development of industrial sector; industries such as textile industries, flour milling, ship industry etc. With development of industries in Europe, it helped European countries to develop as far as capitalism was concerned.

5.    The Capital derived from merchantalism helped to a great deal to strengthen transitional links within Western European economy. Example sugar from Caribbean islands was exported from England to France and other parts of the European continent.

6.   Merchantalism continued to be source for capital accumulation by European merchants whereby the capital was to be invested in investments such as banks, industries, transport and communication for European development hence capital accumulation was possible due to much exploitation of African resources during merchantalism.

IMPACTS OF MERCHANTALISM IN AFRICA
Africa at large extent was in a negative during this oversea trade because the trade made Africa to be underdeveloped and stagnant all the time, hence the following are the impacts:-

1.      Merchantalism led to the rise and fall of some African states. These states grew strong during Trans- Saharan trade like Songhai, Mali, Ghana, Benin but they collapsed because its wealth was destroyed after the establishment of  triangular slave trade, but some other states grew strongly after the establishment of merchantalism because its wealth depended on this trade. Example; Dahomey state.

2.   Merchantalism led to the rise of state of fear and insecurity among Africans especially in West Africa This was because during merchantalism African leaders were helping the European merchants to capture their fellow Africans and sell to the Europeans, these people were taken as slaves and shipped to the mines and plantations in America.  Also the introduction of guns brought political instability among Africans who were fighting among themselves for European interests.

3.  Merchantilism led the destruction of African trade which was established among Africans for their own interests by merchantilism. Example, Long Distance Trade conducted from one region to another region, Trans-Saharan trade which was conducted between West Africa and North Africa. This was due to European merchants who changed the outlook of the trade from not benefiting Africans to benefiting Europeans.

4.   Merchantalism led to introduction of unequal exchange which was unequal trade whereby during the trade between Africa and European merchants; Europeans benefited due to the value of commodities and raw materials taken from Africa like rhinoceros horns, tortoise shell, coconut oil, ivory, slaves while in exchange Europeans brought to Africa things which were used and could not be sold in Europe. Things such as daggers, empty bottles, ornament, cigarettes, Portuguese wine.etc.

5.   Merchantalism led to stagnation of African science and technology especially African local industries and productive forces but also the action of taking Africans as slaves killed science and technology.

6.   Merchantalism led to the decline of African agricultural production because in most cases Africans were in state of fear and insecurity and political instability, hence they could not settle together to involve in agricultural production, in Africa led to famine and hunger.

7.   Merchantalism led to introduction of slave trade which led to depopulation of African continent because many African young men and energetic were taken as a slaves to offer their labour power in mines and plantations in America.

8.  Merchantalism led to the destruction of African culture because during this period Europeans introduced their culture like eating style, dancing style, marriage etc. which all of them meant to kill African culture because Africans ignored their own culture and started to follow European culture.

CONTRIBUTION OF MERCHANTALISM TO THE RISE OF CAPITALISM IN EUROPE

1.  Merchantalism led to the accumulation of capital among Europeans. This led to investment and re-investment in economic sectors like banks, industry, transport and communication hence the capital obtained in merchantalism Led to the rise of industrial capitalism.

2.  Merchantalism led to the development of financial institutions and insurance companies. These institutions facilitated the development of capitalism especially industrial capitalism because they provided loans, credit and services to the Europeans merchants to continue involved in overseas trade, hence development of capitalism.

3.    Merchantalism led to the development of towns, cities, and sea port towns notably Manchester, Leads, Liverpool, Lisbon, Paris, etc. because in these towns there was development of trade and manufacturing center which developed to industrial cities which attracted many of European population to live in those towns and a lot of town requirement were available in those towns. Example water, electricity, good houses.etc.

4.   Merchantalism led to advancement and development of science and technology. Example the sea going science and technology like ship building, compass bearing, compass direction, etc. This was because during merchantalism, ships of different size were designed specifically for carrying slaves from Africa to America and used for carrying raw materials from America to Europe and later commodities were taken  from Europe to other parts of the world especially  Africa where market was available.

5.  Merchantalism led to availability of cheap labour in European plantation, mine, and industries. African slaves were taken in a large quantity during this period  to America to offer their labor power in plantations established in Canada, USA, etc. but others offered their labor power in European mines established in Peru, Colombia all these led to the development and growth of industries in Europe.

6.  Merchantalism led to availability of raw materials which were needed to develop European countries because these raw materials which were produced in the new world like cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, sisal etc. was transported to Europe to be manufactured as commodities and later these commodities were sold in other parts of the world especially in Africa for European development.

7.   Merchantalism led to availability of markets both internal and external market for absorbing European industrial goods. During merchantalism European goods were sold in Europe and Africa where markets were available for economic interests of European merchants. Example: European goods which were not purchased in Europe got markets in Africa and Latin America for development of capitalism in Europe.

8.   Merchantalism led to Agrarian revolution during the 16^thC where by European merchants started to invest in agricultural sector by using wealth obtained during this oversea trade, especially unequal exchange. The European traders got a lot of wealth by using unequal exchange and started to invest in agricultural sector for more production of raw materials like wheat for making breads and wool for making woolen clothes.

9.   Merchantalism led to the emergence of strong military states in order to defend and protect the wealth of nations, merchants and their boundaries e.g. UK during the Tudor monarchy especially the rule of King Henry VIII led Britain to undergo navy forces in order to increase the wealth of Britain after piracy and killing other European merchants who passed near Britain boundary.

10. Merchantalism led to the rise of European nationalism; where by small European nations united together to increase and expand the market for their  nations, removed trade barriers among the nations joint, protected merchants and used the resources available among the small nations unified. E.g. UK (Wales, England, Scotland) to form United Kingdom.

CONDITIONS WHICH FORCED MERCHANTS TO CAPTURE SLAVES FROM  AFRICA TO AMERICA AND CARRIBEANS

1.      Merchantalism

This was an economic system which involved in conducting trade overseas searching for gold and silver. Merchantalism led to the rise of Trans-Atlantic slave trade which was a trading activity which involved Africa, America and Europe. During this trade millions of Africans were shipped to America to provide cheap labour in mines and plantations.

2.      Booming capitalist agriculture.

During merchantalism European capitalist established different plantations of coffee, tea, sugar cane, cotton and tobacco which called for massive supply of cheap labours, thus the supply of white labour was getting difficult compared to the expanding needs of the plantations, therefore this called for importation of slaves from Africa.

3.      Industrial revolution in Europe.

Due to the industrial revolution, there was need to expand home markets thus the merchants and the ruling class in Europe were afraid of under population, this prompted the campaign against the use of white labourers. The crisis called for massive importation of slaves from Africa to provide cheap labour in mines and plantations.

4.      Africans slaves were cheap.

It’s on record that money paid on white labour for ten years could procure on African slaves for life. In addition a white worker was expected to acquire land at the end of the contract while on African slaves was prevented by law from owning land. These conditions necessitated the use of African origin in the new world.

5.    Discovery of maritime technology.

This acted as a pushing factor for Africans to be taken as slaves. Maritime technology eased transportation and guided the merchants to locate Africa. Thus be in position to transport people of African origin to the new world.

6.    Inability of the indigenous people.

Initially the Europeans were using Native Americans, Red Indians to provide cheap labour power on the plantations and mining centers but later the red Indians died in huge numbers due to plague. This called for importation of African slaves which contributed to the existence of people of African origin in the new world.

7.    Discovery of the new world.

The Discovery of the new world by Christopher Columbus in 1492 contributed to the existence of people of African origin in the new world. The discovery led to the establishment of plantations and mining centers that demanded for cheap labours which called for importation of African slaves.

THE ABOLITION OF THE TRANS ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

The Trans Atlantic slave trade refers to that type of trade that involve three continents America, Africa and Europe.

In this trading system, Africa was the source of cheap labour in the form of slaves, America was the source of raw materials and Europe was the source of manufactured goods.

The main participants were Britain, France, Holland and Portugal. The British were the ones who benefited so much from this trade since the 17^th C, took the lead in the abolition of slave trade in the first half of the 19^th C. the British took various steps to abolish slave trade consequently in 1807, Britain passed a bill making slave trade illegal in all her colonies and in 1833; a law was passed that called for the emancipation of all slaves in the British empire.

There are various forces that compelled the British to abolish the Trans Atlantic slave trade. These factors included the following;

A        Economic reasons

These were the main factors that forced the British to abolish the Trans Atlantic slave trade, they included;

1)     Capitalist production

Capitalist production involves two classes of societies, which are the capitalists who control the major means of production and the workers who are employed by the capitalists. For the workers to be effectively employed, they must be free and not slaves.

2)     Need for markets

Due to the industrial revolution, there was increased production of industrial products in Europe that lacked enough demand; this forced the British to abolish slave trade so that markets can be created in Africa for their manufactured goods.

3)     Need for raw materials

Due to the industrial revolution, there was increased demand for raw materials in Britain. The existing raw materials were limited to supply due to the mushrooming of industries. This situation necessitated the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade so that Africans can produce the needed raw materials.

4)     The use of machines

The industrial revolution was characterized by the use of machines in the production process, these machines replaced human labour. The owners of the machines campaigned for the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade because slave labour had become redundant.

5)     French and British competition over sugar production.

For so long period, the British had a monopoly on sugar in the European market. The sugar was produced by slave labour in the British West Indies. The British was selling their sugar at very high prices thus making huge profits. However by the end of the 18^th C, the French West Indies and re union islands were producing sugar in large quantities and selling at a cheaper price thus making more profits than the British. This situation made slave labour in British West Indies useless thus forcing the British to abolish the Trans Atlantic slave trade.

SOCIAL REASONS THAT LED TO THE ABOLITION OF TRANS-ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE.

B        Religious reasons

The religious bodies contributed to the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade in Africa. They argued that slave trade was against the will of God because he had created all people equal but slave trade was treating Africans as an inferior class. The Christians denounced slave trade in the name of God and argued that it must be abolished.

C        French revolution of 1789

The French revolution of 1789 had a role to play in the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade. The slogan of the revolution was fraternity, liberty and equality. Philosophers such as Rousseau campaigned for the abolition of slave trade. These philosophers claimed that slave trade was against the ideals of the French revolution thus it had to be stopped.

D        Humanitarian movements

The humanitarians such as Granville sharp and Thomas Clarkson played a certain role in the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade. These people argued that slave trade had caused a lot of suffering to the people thus it had to be abolished. These efforts were followed by British declarations of 1807 and 1833 which abolished slave trade and slavery.

Effects of the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade

a        Foundation of sierra Leone and Liberia.

These areas were established by the Europeans powers as settlements for the freed slaves. They received freed slaves from America. It should be noted that the Trans Atlantic slave trade uprooted millions of Africans who were supposed to offer labour in America.

b        Introduction of legitimate trade.

There was introduction of legitimate trade that involved the buying and selling of natural resources, Example palm oil and cocoa. The colonial powers introduced legitimate trade so that it can facilitate the acquisition of raw materials and markets which were crucial in Europe after the industrial revolution.

c        Exploitation of hinterland.

Before the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade, the colonial powers operated along the coast of West Africa searching for slaves, but after the abolition of slave trade they penetrated the interior searching for raw materials and market where they can sell their manufactured goods.

d        Increased spread of Christianity.

The European powers increased the spread of Christianity after the abolition of slave trade. Christianity was a way of compensating for the ills committed by slave trade. This religion was also spread to counter the spread of Islam in West Africa.

e        Increased provision of social services.

The colonial powers increased the provision of social services especially education. The main aim of colonial education was to train Africans to become better producers of raw materials that were needed in Europe. Colonial education was also supposed to change the mentality of Africans to prefer European goods thus created a ready market for them.

f         Improvement of the agricultural sector.

The colonial powers improved the agricultural sector by introducing better methods of farming to increase the production of raw materials. It should be noted that the colonialists discouraged the production of food crops in Africa.

g        Linguistic studies.

The colonial powers studied native languages so that they can be able to translate the Bible into local languages. This move was to convert many Africans to Christianity. The languages that were studied by the imperialist were Hausa and Fulani.

TRANSITION FROM COTTAGE SYSTEM TO FACTORY SYSTEM

CAPITALISM
Refers to the class mode of production consisting of the capitalists who own the major means of production and the workers or proletarians that are deprived of the means of production in order to get profit. Feudalism did not collapse at once; the decline was a gradual process which was caused by various factors.

Factors that contributed rise of factory system (industrial capitalism)

1.      Growth of population.

There was a rapid increase in population especially in Britain at the end of the 15^thC; this increase was caused by better medical facilities and early marriages. In 1485 AD, Britain had three million people. This increase in production contributed to the rise of capitalism by providing a ready market for manufactured goods and cheap labor in industries.

Also increased population facilitated cheap labor in industries, leaving rural areas hence decline of feudalism and rise of capitalism.

2.      Growth of towns.

The Growth of towns for example Manchester and Liverpool contributed to the rise of industrial capitalism. These towns attracted many people who undertook trade and commerce which contributed to the demise of feudalism.

3.      Agrarian revolution.

The improvement of agriculture contributed significantly to the collapse of feudalism. The changes in agriculture for example crop rotation and the use of machines led to increase in production. The Increase in production led to acquisition of wealth which was used to finance the industrial revolution hence rise of capitalism.

4.      Political revolutions.

Political revolutions e.g. the English revolution of 1640 and the French revolution of 1789 contributed to the rise of capitalism. These revolutions destroyed feudalism and put the major means of production in the hands of capitalists hence leading to the rise of capitalism.

5.      Commercial revolution.

Refers to fundamental changes which were characterized by the development of international trade and the rise of merchant class. Through international trade, European countries especially Britain acquired a lot of capital which was used to finance the industrial revolution, thus the rise of capitalism.

6.      Monetization of the economy.

The Introduction of money as a medium of exchange played a great role in the rise of capitalism in Europe. Money formed the basis of capitalism by financing the industrial revolution, thus the rise of capitalism.

7.      The Hundred year war.

The war was fought between the British and the French, during the course of the war British plundered French towns and enriched themselves. This was a form of primitive accumulation of capital which contributed significantly to the rise of capitalism.

8.      Scientific and technological revolutions.

The Scientific revolution refers to major technological changes that took place in Europe and paved the way for the rise of capitalism. The Revolution led to the expansion of commodity production which led to the development of internal trade that contributed to the industrial development thus the rise of capitalism.

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN BRITAIN (1750s – 1850s).
This can be defined as the sum total of radical or fundamental changes in various sectors of the economy especially industry, transport, banking and technology. During this period new machines for mass production were invented; large scale industries replaced cottage industries.

Why Britain was the first country to industrialize in Europe

The industrial revolution begun in Britain on a large scale for the first time,  later spread to other countries such as France, Germany, Spain and Belgium. During this period Britain was referred to as the “workshop of the world”.

The causes of the industrial revolution are classified into internal and external factors;

Internal Factors

a    Growth of the internal market.

This was caused by the rapid growth in population during the 18^th century. There was about 10.5M people in 1801 and 20 M people in 1851. This growth of population was due to better health care and sanitation. The increase in population provided ready markets for industrial products thus contributing to the industrial revolution.

b    Improvement of the transport systems.

There was improvement in the transport system through the construction of roads, railways and canals. The good transport system supported the industrial revolution by providing cheap and reliable transport.

c    Non governmental interference.

The British government pursued the laissez faire policy (no government intervention) whereby the government allowed the economy to operate fairly and freely with few controls. The absence of government interference encouraged investors to increase production thus contributing to the industrial revolution.

d     Peace and stability.

The monarchy which controlled Britain provided a stable and predictable government. This monarchy has maintained peace and stability which are conducive for industrial activities.

e     Free trade system.

Britain had the largest free trade unity in Europe completely unhampered by the local tariffs system. Almost each part of Britain produced something and traded with others. The absence of internal tariffs encouraged industrial activities thus leading to industrial revolution.

f     Geographical advantage.

Britain had an added advantage in natural resources which stimulated industrial revolution. There was existence of coal and iron in plenty, coal mining was important in coastal shipping and provision of cheap fuel and later rail road construction. The existence of these two natural resources generated more technological innovations that enabled Britain to undergo the industrial revolution.

g    Technological advantages

Britain was the first country to undergo technological advancement in various aspects. There were various discoveries that took place in Britain which facilitated the industrial revolution. In 1776, James Watt discovered the steam engine and in 1775 Miller Cromb discovered the water frame. These discoveries contributed to the scientific revolution and finally the industrial revolution.

External Factors

a   International links

The paramount cause of the industrial revolution was the Trans Atlantic slave trade. British companies traded with all countries in Europe but most important was trade with Asia and North America. The most profitable business acquired huge profits which were used to build many industries.

b   Existence of many colonies.

Britain had so many colonies in Africa, America and Asia. These colonies provided raw materials and ready markets for industrial products, therefore contributing to the industrial revolution.

The industrial revolution led to drastic economic and social changes in the lives of the British people. It replaced agriculture as the main source of wealth and was responsible for the scramble for the control of the rest of the world.

Effects of industrial revolution in Europe

a        Development of industrial towns.

The industrial revolution contributed to the development of industrial towns such as Lancashire, Birmingham and derby shire in Britain. Development of these towns was due to the industries which were established near the markets and source of raw materials that attracted a number of people to settle in those areas thus leading to the development of towns.

b        Environmental degradation

The industrial revolution contributed to environmental pollution in Europe. It led to chemical contamination in water bodies and air pollution. The destruction of the environment also contributed to the eruption of diseases which led to loss of lives.

c        Development of free trade policy.

The industrial revolution contributed to the development of free trade in Europe. Free trade is an economic policy that allows free transfer of goods without economic barriers or tariffs. This policy was influenced by the production of large quantities of industrial goods that required overseas markets.

d        Rise of proletariat/ working classes

The industrial revolution contributed to the development of working class in Europe. Members of the working class did not posses anything except their labor. They sold their labor to the owners of the industries who in turn paid those low wages and were forced to work under poor conditions. Their exploitation led to the formation of various movements such as Luddism and Chartism.

e     Introduction of democracy

It contributed to the collapse of absolute monarchies that had existed in Europe during the feudal period. In France there was the bourbon monarchy where all French kings right from Louis XIV were despotic. The monarchy in Britain was also despotic, the kings believed in the “divine right of the king” whereby the king was not answering to any man except God. The industrial revolution replaced absolute monarchies with parliamentary system.

f     Economic hardship

It was characterized with so many economic hardships. The workers were paid very low wages which were not enough to satisfy ordinary human beings. To supplement their meager pay; many fathers were forced to send their children into factories at the age of five. The workers were forced to work for 14 hours a day.

g    Development of slums

The industrial revolution contributed to the development of slums in Europe with the growth of population in the 18^th C. The older towns became more and more over crowded. More and more big families crowded into each house. Slums were very common in towns such as absence of proper sanitation and increased crime.

Why Britain was referred to as the workshop of the world.

Between 1750s and 1870s Britain was referred to as the workshop of the world by other European countries because all the commodities of the world were being produced in Britain, during the period of Victoria, the entire world depended on high quality products from Britain.

There are various reasons to why Britain was called the workshop of the world, these included the following;

a.      First to undergo the industrial revolution.

Britain was the first country to undergo the industrial revolution in 1750 AD and then it spread to other countries such as German and France. The British people regarded themselves as the source of world civilization and their country was a model to other countries.

b.      Source of technology and innovation.

Britain was the source of technology in the world. Most of the inventions in technology took place in Britain e.g. the steam engine that was discovered in 1776 by James Watt and the maritime technology that started in Britain. It was Britain that set the pace for the industrialization of other countries.

c.      Largest colonial empire.

Britain had the largest colonial empire in the world. It controlled at least a quarter of the world’s population. It had colonies in Asia, America and Africa. These colonies provided a ready market for British manufactured goods and raw materials that contributed to the industrial revolution.

d.      Huge economy

Britain had the largest economy between 1750 AD and 1870 AD; its economy was worth 540 million pounds the largest in Europe and it was followed by France which had 250 million pounds. The possession of the largest economy explains why it was called the workshop of the world.

e.      Leading exporter of industrial goods.

Britain was the leading exporter of the industrial products by that time and she monopolized the export of high quality industrial goods, this enabled her to control the world market and obtain higher profits this situation made Britain to be referred to as the workshop of the world.

f.       Stable government

The monarchy in Britain provided a stable and predictable government in the country. Peace and security provided a conducive atmosphere for massive investment thus enabling Britain to have the largest economy in the whole world.

g.      Geographical advantage.

Britain had an added advantage in natural resources which stimulated the industrial revolution. The existence of coal and iron in plenty was a crucial factor for the industrial revolution. Coal mining was important in the provision of fuel and later in railway road construction.

h.      Existence of a fairly developed banking system.

The development of financial institutions accelerated the industrial revolution in Britain. The banks provided loans to capitalist investors which made it possible for them to invest in various sectors of the economy, this massive investment enabled Britain to have the largest economy.

i.        Good transport system.

There was a fundamental improvement of transport system through the construction of roads and railways. The good transport system encouraged industrial activities by providing the cheap and reliable transportation system.

FORMATION OF WORKING CLASS MOVEMENTS

The Working class movement was the organization of workers that was formed after the prioritization in Europe. One of the immediate causes of the working class movement was impact of industrial revolution like unemployment, exploitation which owners faced after working in industries, low wages, long working hours, and lack of land during enclosure system which led people to go to the towns to look for employment.

Factors that contributed to the rise of the working class movement

a     Rise of Industrial cities

There was development of industrial cities especially in the north and central parts of Britain. These cities involved Leads, Bradford, and Birmingham. The rise of industrial cities attracted people who sought employment in capitalist industries where they were exposed to exploitation and pressure.

b    Massive unemployment.

Since the capitalists could only employ workers if they could make profit out of them, industrial capitalism led to massive unemployment in Britain, This condition subjected the employed to low wages. In reaction the employees formed working class movements to demand for better wages.

c    Poor working conditions.

The poor working conditions in industrial countries contributed to the rise of working class movements. The workers were subjected to long working hours, poor working conditions forced the workers to form working class movement.

d    Agrarian revolution.

The Agrarian revolution was characterized by the introduction of the enclosure system which involved buying land from the small peasants by the wealthy capitalists. The enclosure system made many people landless and therefore they shifted to towns they were exposed to exploitation and oppression.

e     Napoleonic wars.

The wars between Britain and France during the period of Napoleon brought misery on the workers in Britain because they caused a great rise in the cost of living. The prices of food especially bread increased by hundred percent and there was heavy taxation which fell the working class movement.

LUDDISM (1811 – 1830)

Also known as the Luddite movement This was the first industrial working class movement in Britain. The word “luddism” came from an imaginary figure “Ned Lud” who was believed to be mythical leader of the movement. This movement dominated the early faces of the industrial revolution at the beginning of the 19th C. the movement concentrated on breaking machines because the members thought that their exploitation and oppression was due to the machines.

Aims/ Objectives of Luddism working class

a    One of the main achievements of the movements was to break the newly invented machines. The workers in Britain believed that  low wages and massive unemployment was due to the new instruments of production.

b   Fight for better working conditions. The members of luddism were fighting for better condition in industries and mines. The workers in Britain were working in very poor conditions. There was very poor sanitation which  caused  various diseases.

c   Fighting for high wages. The members of luddism were fighting against the exploitation of the workers. The workers worked for very long hours but were paid very low wages.

d     Better social services. To fight for accessibility of social services and workers welfare like pensions, medical fees and insurance. These services were important because the workers were paid low wages.

Factors that contributed to the failure of luddism

a.   Failure to identify the true enemy.

The members of luddism failed to identify their true enemy that is they could not distinguish between machines and the capitalists. The luddites believed that they were getting low wages because of the machines that are being introduced, yet the fact was due to the capitalists who wanted to maximize profits by giving the workers low wages.

b.    Illiteracy.

The members of luddism were not educated thus they did not present any program for reform because they lacked a clear ideology. Due to the absence of clear ideology, the movements lacked massive support for the people which later contributed to its decline.

c.   The use of wrong methods.

The methods used by luddites were wrong. The act of breaking machines did not gain any sympathy from employers or the government. The government was determined to use force to suppress the movement hence contributing to its failure.

d.    Disunity

The luddites were not united in the sense that some of the members preferred to use violent means that is destroying machines but some wanted to use peaceful methods that is engaging in dialogue with the employers for increased wages and better working conditions.

e.    Absence of strong leadership.

The movement lacked strong leadership because it was based on an imaginary figure called Ned Ludd. The absence of strong leadership made it difficult to unite all the workers and fight against one common enemy, the capitalists.

f.     Inadequate funds.

The movement faced the problem of inadequate funds thus it failed to run and coordinate its activities effectively in the struggle against the capitalists. It should be noted that the capitalists had a lot of resources at their disposal to sustain the struggle against the luddites.

g.    Concentrated in urban areas.

The movement was not large in scope; it concentrated in urban industrial centers thus as a result it lost massive support in the country side. This factor contributed tremendously to the decline of the movement.

h.   Lack of consistency.

The movement lacked consistency in the fight against the capitalist class. The movement was sporadic in its activities thus it failed to apply enough pressure against the capitalists thus contributing to its decline.

The significance or success of the Luddite movement in Britain

a.   Enlightened the workers.

The workers became aware of their exploitation and oppression by the capitalist class hence they started to act as a class by taking the action of breaking the machines, this reaction forced the capitalist’s class to respond positively by increasing wages.

b.      Development of more working class movements.

It was an important catalyst in the development of working class movements in future, when luddism failed another movement known as Chartism was established which used some of the principles of luddism.

c.      Unity of workers.

The movement contributed to the unity of workers by bringing together different workers from different walks of life under one movement, luddism. It is this unity which later contributed to the formation of Chartism.

d.      Achievement of some rights.

The movement was able to achieve some rights for the workers; Example holidays and wages were slightly increased. There was prohibition of child labor in industries.

THE CHARTISM MOVEMENT 1838 – 1848.

Chartism was a British working class movement of the 1830s named after peoples’ charter which was drafted in London in 1838. It was a first typical working class movement and it was national in scope.

The movement came after industrial capitalism had efficiently developed and the workers had increased in number making their working conditions more horrible.

The factors that contributed to the rise of Chartism

The basic reasons for the rise of Chartism was industrial capitalism, however various factors can be identified that had contributed to the rise of the chartist movement.

a.   The poor law amendment act of 1834

This was an amendment to the poor law that was passed in 1601 by Queen Elizabeth to deal with the poor people. In this law the British government was providing basic necessities to the aged and the infirm (crippled). The exploited workers were given what was called “doles” which were relief funds to supplement the low wages of the workers. However after the Anglo – French war of 1795, the parliament amended the act whereby the government would only assist the aged and the infirm and not the exploited workers.

b.   Economic slump of 1837 – 1838.

The economic foundation of Chartism was the economic depression of the late 1830s. This period was characterized by a decline in production which led to a rapid increase in prices and shortage of food. It also led to massive unemployment in Britain.

c.   Collapse of the Grand National trade union.

The Grand National trade union was formed by Robert Owen. Its main aim was to absorb all different trade unions and use general strike as a weapon to achieve the goals of the workers. This trade union was however crippled by the government by sentencing the leaders to jail. The collapse of the union meant that the workers remained without a movement to express their grievances, thus the formation of Chartism.

d.   Disappointment with the reform bill.

The reform bill which was introduced in 1831 in the parliament brought several changes. The parliament was divided into two categories, the House of Lords which consisted of dukes, bishops and king appointees and the House of Commons which consisted of members elected by the people according to the bill. For one to be elected he/she should have land and earning not less than 40 pounds per year, this law discriminated very many workers to be voted because they possessed nothing.

e.   Increased in indirect taxes.

During the Napoleonic wars, the national debt had risen to 902,000,000 million pounds in 1816. The obvious way to raise such amount of money was to increase income tax but this was abolished and indirect taxation was introduced whereby taxes were increased on common articles like tea, tobacco, paper and soap. Thus in reaction the workers formed the chartist movement.

f.    The corn law of 1815.

This was a law which was passed to protect the agriculture of the landlords against the post war slump. The law stipulated that there would be no importation of wheat. The intention of this law was to keep the prices artificially high in the interests of the landlords while neglecting the need for cheap food for the workers.

Tactics of Chartism

The workers used different tactics or techniques to fight for their rights during the chartist movement. These tactics included the following;

a.    Petitions

The movement used petition which involved persuading the parliament to accept its demands by organizing mass petitions for the implementations of their demands. In 1842, three million workers signed a petition but it was rejected by the parliament as the parliament was full of capitalists.

b.    Campaigns

These were done through cheap newspaper and mass political meetings. The leaders of the chartist movement organized big political meetings were they discussed all their problems thus making the people aware on what they were fighting for.

c.    Strikes

The biggest weapon of the workers was a strike; this is where the workers stopped production aiming at making losses to the employers in the attempt of forcing them to make changes.

Factors that contributed to the decline of Chartism

a.   Revival of the economy

One of the major factors that contributed to a decline of the chartist movement was economic depression of the late 1830s. During the 1850s, the economy was revived, trade increased and more people were employed. This prosperity made the workers to abandon the movement thus contributing to its decline.

b.    Disunity

Disunity between the leadership and their followers contributed significantly to the collapse of the chartist movement. The leadership and their followers could not agree whether or not to turn the movement into a full revolution and overthrow the government so as to set up the peoples’ republic, some of the workers wanted to use peaceful means by negotiating with their employers.

c.    Heavy hand of the government.

The government contributed significantly to the decline of Chartism. It used troops and laws to suppress the movement, some of the leaders were imprisoned while others were killed thus causing a decline of the movement.

d.    Hostility of the capitalists.

The capitalists aimed at maximizing their profits and therefore were determined to suppress the movement. The capitalists were always suspicious about the intention of the working class thus they opposed whatever the workers were demanding.

e.    Inadequate funds.

Inadequate funds were one of the paramount causes for the decline of the chartist movement. The working class in Britain was always bankrupt thus it could not sustain strikes for a long period of time.

f.     Lack of permanent members.

Chartism faced the problem of absence of permanent members to support the movement. The organization had no clear regulation and principles to be followed by the members the members were free to join and leave the movement if they wished. The absence of permanent members had a big role to play in the fall of the chartist movement

Significance of the chartist movement

a.    Cooperation

The chartists movement cultivated the spirit of cooperation in the minds of the industrial workers as they joined together for a common course that is to fight against exploitation and oppression.

b.   Formation of trade union

The chartist movement laid the foundation for the formation of another working class movement which was the trade union. The movement demonstrated the importance of working class voice which contributed to the formation of trade union that built their principle and objectives on the failure of Chartism.

c.   Development of democracy

Due to the pressure mounted by the chartist, the government in Britain decided to give workers representation in the parliament. The owners were given equal opportunities like other people in political, economical and social affairs. Britain was among the first countries to practice real democracy.

d.    Introduction of socialist ideology.

The movement contributed to the introduction of socialist ideologies in Britain because it claimed that the exploitation and oppression of the workers was due to capitalism. The leaders of Chartism such as Robert Owen used the ideas of Karl Max to oppose capitalism.

e.   Formation of the labor party.

The chartist movement laid the foundation for the formation of a new independent labor party in Britain which later became a prominent political party. The spirit of unity introduced by Chartism was the one used to form labor party.

f.    Awakened the workers.

The movement awakened the workers by making them aware about the nature of capitalism, i.e. it is associated with exploitation and oppression of the workers. The leaders of Chartism argued that the workers were been exploited because the capitalists wanted to maximize profit by paying them low wages.

g.    Attained some of the demands.

Some of the demands of the chartist movement were achieved; Example the payment of the members of parliament, voting through secret ballot and the Corn Law was also abolished.

h.    National in scope.

The chartists movement remains in history as the first working class movement to be national in scope and revolutionary in character. It was also the first movement to use political means to fight for the rights of the workers.

TRADE UNIONS/ NEW MODEL UNION

The trade union is a workers association or institution that fights for increased wages and better working condition.

A trade union is a struggle institution because it consists of workers as a class fighting for improved working conditions.

These union came to be known as new model trade unions because they formed by skilled and professional workers. One of the examples of the trade unions in Britain was the Amalgamation society of engineer (ASE)

Tactics of trade unions

a.   Collective bargaining

This is where the trade unions bargained or negotiated with their employees so that their demands can be met. These demands included better wages, reduced working hours and better working conditions.

b.   Use of strike

The most powerful weapon of the trade unions is a strike. The workers believed that if they asked for the same thing and refused to work unless they get it, they would be in a good bargaining position with their employers.

Features of trade Unions

a.    Skilled members

Members of trade unions were skilled workers who formed a small population of the working force. Unskilled workers were entirely left out in these organizations.

b.    National in scope

Trade unions were national in scope because they combined all workers from different parts of the country; Example the Grand National trade union of spinners combined all spinners in Britain into one association.

c.    Use of strikes

Trade unions were characterized by the use of peaceful methods when demanding for their rights. They discouraged the use strikes without consent of all national members. A strike which is greatest weapon is used a last resort. The members of the trade unions were paid fees in order to sustain a long strike.

d.    Proper leadership.

Trade unions have regional or district officers and national headquarters with full time secretaries. They are also run by full time officials who are paid salaries. Trade unions also have a clear constitution.

e.    Financially sound.

The trade unions were financially sound due to reliable annual contributions made by the members. The fees paid enabled the trade unions to sustain a long strike thus putting pressure on the employers.

f.     Economic well being of the workers.

The trade unions centered on the economic well being of the workers, they demanded for better working conditions and improved wages for the workers.

The significance of trade unions in Britain

a.    Introduction of unity and solidarity.

The trade unions contributed to the introduction of unity and solidarity among the workers. There was an amalgamation of trade unions, the process made it easier by the trade union acts of 1964. Workers were drawn from different parts of the country.

b.    Defended the rights of the workers.

The trade unions protected and defended the rights of the workers; the workers were educated to make their labor expensive through common effort and unions against their employers. Standard salaries were set that enabled the workers to get basic needs.

c.    Formation of a political party.

The spirit of unity that was introduced by the trade unions contributed to the formation and consolidates political party for the workers, this party was known as Labor Representation Committee (LRC) which after the general elections of 1906 it became the labor party.

d.    Fought for women’s rights.

The trade unions played a leading role in advancing the interests of women. The women had been subjected to exploitation and oppression in industries. Women trade unions were formed in textiles and tobacco industries. There was also a formation of the “women’s trade union league”.

e.    Emergency of a class of skilled workers.

The trade unions consisted of skilled workers from different sectors of the economy, this encouraged workers personal advancement so as to acquire more skills. The trade union membership in Britain had reached 53.4%.

f.    Achievement of some rights

The trade unions managed to achieve some political and economic rights. The government in Britain reduced the working hours and passed a minimum wage for the workers. The workers were also fully represented in the parliament.

g.     Promoted the culture of non violence.

The trade unions were using non violent methods in advancing their interests, they depended on the use of collective bargaining were they negotiated with their employers for better wages and improved working conditions. They tried as much as possible to avoid the use of force.

h.    Encouraged professionalism.

The trade unions urged the workers to respect their professions. The unions set standard salaries that would enable the workers to meet their basic needs. Due to trade unions, the number of skilled workers increased in Britain while that of manual workers decreased.

The political forces that explain the rise of capitalism

These forces include the following

a.      The English revolution of 1940

b.      The French revolution of 1789

PRE COLONIAL AFRICAN SOCIETY

This was drastic political revolution changes that took place (in 1640- 1689)     made by Oliver ground to dismarith

Monarchy government under King Charles I in (1648) and James II (1685) because it being in nature against the can

 

THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION

British before undergoing political revolution had experience do various political war like the war of (hundred year’s war) both France- Britain

The war of rose as the war fought between the Northern Kingdom of Lank shine and southern kingdoms

These two kingdoms symbolized by red rose for Northern kingdom and white rose for the southern kingdom of the war roses started 1455 to 1485

Historically the English revolution of 1648 to 1658 did not erupted like a thunderstorm, from a blue of rather it was gradual change which influenced by several historically factors include, Absolution adaptation of second under monarch government under King Henry VII king Henry VIII Edward man lad gray I, Queen may I, Queen Elizabeth, James I, Charles II and James II  had  element of dictator-ship were state matter in England under such situation James II  abandoned Peaceful in 1688 and run to France, this Glorious revolution act it involved no blood shed.

 

THE GROUP CATEGORIES OF THE ENGLISH REVOLUTION

There were 2 groups’ categories of the English revolution which occurred in 1648

– 1688 which include the following

THE PURITAN REVOLUTION

This was the kind of revolution which took place in 1648 being organized by the puritors led by Oliver Cromwell to overthrow the Tudor monarch government. Under the King Charles I the involvement blood shed King Charles I was assassinated publicity

THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION

This was  the religious  revolution which took place 1680 being organized by the religious bodies  which divined direct to be governed by king James II because he was not obeying Anglican church principle in high  government with this situation James II abundance  peacefully in 1688 with bloodshed

FACTORS FOR THE RISE/CAUSE OF ENGLISH REVOLUTION OF 1648-1688(puritan and Glorious revolution)

The theory of divine right of king

Religious conflict

Kings extravagance

The role of Oliver crowned

Conservativeness of the feudal mode of production that  hinder the government in  Britain

The role of writing of English  philosophers

Dismissal of the parliament

IMPACT / SIGNIFICANCE OF ENGLISH REVOLUTION IN THE DVT OF CAPITALISM

The English revolution led to the formation at the industrial revolution in Britain. In the 18^th c to 19^th c after the revolution the middle classes rose up as powerful class which took different major in promoting trade and industry.

The revolution brought … freedom   to the people as has they were able to worship the way they within any sect

The English revolution was stimulating force to the occurrence after revolution in the world Eg. French revolution.

Led to development of single currency which  made it possible for Britain to have uniform currency all over the country that facilitated the selling and buying manufactured goods

The raw swept away all forms of kings absolution and dictatorship in England and brought realistic  constitutional monarchy under full practice of human right

Free internal and external trade. Traders were favored and encouraged eg: abolition of internal taxes of goods example: overseas trade was promoted.

 

CONTRIBUTION OF ENGLISH REVOLUTION TO THE RISE OF DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN

It brought multiparty political system, basically in Great Britain where by conservative part and liberal party were  enacted this give chance individual to select the leader of their wishes hence  Democracy

Emergence of shared government the English revolution of 17^th c which organized by Oliver crowed made the emergence of shared government between the common people and existing government.

English revolution brought  much freedom  of worship as  they able to worship  the may they wish in any sect

Respect of human right the English revolution which experienced in 1648 to 1688 gave room to the respect of human right as apposed from the formal Tudor Monarchies which demanded the right or human being

The revolution brought realistic constitution. This lead to the country governed by the rule of law all matters of the state follow the principle and law it the country

Freedom of debate and expression. The England revolution played a very greet role for the rise of democracy. In the world now the parliament was given high states of debating bill so amend law

The revolution spread the ideas of democracy to  other such like French

 

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (1789-1795)

The French revolution can simple means the drastic political  changes which was made by peasant and workers which were organized by Voltaura, Montesara, FeanJacarcRosseau, especially by 1789-1795 to over throw  the Tudor Monarchy  government under the king Lucas XVI due to its absolution and explanation system

French revolution was complete change in overthrowing existed government under King Louis XVI French revolution it was the one of the  greatest events of human, history which deeply affected men’s idea conduct for many generation within the  period it six years eg 1789-1795

THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

–  The French revolution which experienced in French. From 1789-1795 was organized by peasant and workers to overthrow the Boubonadlynast under King Louis XIV who were absolute and exploitative in character. Before they were living under despotic rule within rivalry and injustice they were landless and unemployed. The problem of land,  heavy taxes collection in French  classified in the following group of people as follows:-

 

Peasant group

The bourgeosie group

The nobility group

Clergy

CAUSES OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

– Unfair system of the government

–  Kings extravagance

–  Influence of great French philosopher

–  Several social , political condition of France peasant paid direct and indirect tax and bourgeosie paid heavy tax to the king, presence of inequality, injustice and exploitation contributed much to the peasant and bourgeosie to oppose the government

– The influence of American war of independence

 

CONTRIBUTION OF FRENCH REVOLUTION TO THE RISE OF CAPITALISM

–  It lad to the elimination of feudalism August 4, 1789

–   Led to the industrialization

–   French revolution led to the development of nationalism in France solidarity and unity were very important to the depth the country

–  The catholic church and louis XVI and his wife  MarrusAntonente were swept away, new leader ( capitalist leader) came into power)  king and his unite assassinated

–   Led to the development  of infrastructure such as expansion of road and railway

–   Free enterprises  as well as the trade were allowed  encourage so as to boost up the economic production

–   It led to the establishment  of agrarian revolution and abolition of subsistence agriculture  hence regular supplier supply of raw materials in industry

 

CONTRIBUTION OF RRENCH REVOLUTION TO THE RISE OF DEMOCRACY

French revolution emphasized total respect  of the state  of individual in regard if nation leader or to be voted as leader this emphasized due to the introduction of new constitution

The revolution planted human right, equality, liberty in French community and the world at large. This still dominates the democracy of the world

It led to the emergence of shared of government in which each of the individual in regard of being rich or poor had chance to explain his/her opinion

French revolution emphasized over freedom of mass media and express of the individual as result promoted more the rise of democracy in the world

French revolution lead to the development of nationalism France solidarity and unity were very important to the development of democracy.

THE DEMOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION AND SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION

The scientific revolution

The scientific revolution refers to a period that was characterized with major technological changes that took place in Europe which paved way for the industrial revolution consequently leading to the rise of capitalism. The revolution involved the use of mathematics, experimental methods and practical use of scientific knowledge. It is between 1540 – 1640 years.

The discoveries involved the following;

1    It was due to establishment of the contact between Europe and Asia, especially Asian countries like china, India and middle east. In this contact the Europeans copied and improved the textile industries especially Britain.

2     Due to the break of the crusade war. The war led to the spread of technology to the western European countries because these European countries started to get involved in innovations and discoveries of new technology which could help them to reach in their previous areas to look for raw material and market without passing the Middle East especially near Turkey.

3    The discoveries and the use of coal and iron as the major source of power, this replaced the wind mills hence it influenced the more production of commodities in industries and innovation of other technology especially technology to be used in industries because of availability of power.

4     The exploration of European countries to other parts of the world which accelerated the discovery of the new world as a desire of European to discoveries;

a.   The discovery of the steam engine in 1770’s by James Watt. The steam engine led to a revolution in the production process because it contributed to the rise of the factory system.

b.  Introduction of new methods of iron production whereby iron was smelted quickly with the help of coke. This new methods increase the production of iron thus contributing to the industrial revolution.

c.   New techniques in weaving and spinning cotton and wool were discovered. These new methods modernized textile industries which led to the increase of production and reduction of cost of production.

d.      In 1792 Murdock invented the railway locomotive which simplified transportation of raw materials and manufactured goods.

The role of science and technology in the development of industrial revolution

a.    Improved the transport system.

The discovery of a railway improved the transport system which made it possible to transport large quantities of raw materials and manufactured goods. The good transport system stimulated industrial development.

b.    Increased the level of production.

The introduction of various machines in the production process reduced the dependence on manual labour. The use of machines increased production thus leading to the consolidation and expansion of the industrial revolution.

c.    Development of internal trade.

The increase in production of goods stimulated internal trade within Europe. The development of trade encouraged the establishment of more business thus consolidating and expanding industrial development.

d.    Destruction of serfdom

The introduction of machines in the production process made many people in the countryside to leave to the towns searching for industrial jobs; this led to the decline of feudalism and consequently the rise of capitalism.

e.    Collapse of cottage industries.

The discovery of the steam engine contributed to the development of the factory system which employed thousands of workers. The factory system played a great role in the rise of capitalism; it replaced small cottage industries like windmills.

f.     Rise of capitalist class

The discovery of machines led to the rise of the capitalist class, which are people who owned the machines and factories. This class of entrepreneurs invested their money in industries to generate profits thus leading to the development of the industrial revolution.

g.    Rise of free trade.

The discovery of machines increased the production of industrial products which led to a decline of prices. The increase in production gave birth to a rise of free trade whereby surplus production was sold off to overseas markets without economic tariffs. The absence of trade restrictions contributed to the consolidation and expansion of the industrial revolution.

The demographic revolution

This refers to the fundamental changes that occurred in the size of population in Europe between the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Its believed that the population increased by 48%, example in Britain by 1760AD, the population of Britain was estimated to have been 12 million, by 1831 as ascertained by the census, it had risen to around 24 million.

There are various factors that can be put forward to explain this growth in population, these include the following;

a.    Improved medical services.

One of the main causes of this great increase in population was improvement of medical services which reduced death rates. Improved medical services facilitated the control of deadly diseases such as chickenpox and increased the life expectancy in Europe.

b.    Early marriages

Early marriages of women played a great role in the growth of population in Europe. Many women reproduced in early age which increased the number of new born babies, the average woman in Britain for instance delivered six children in her life span. This condition with improved medical services, led to a rapid increase in population.

c.    Availability of enough food supply.

The increased food supply resulting from the great agricultural improvements of the 18^th C contributed significantly to the rapid growth in the population in Europe. The increase in food supply both grain and meat play the part in producing and sustaining a larger population.

d.    Political stability

It can be asserted that the long years of internal stability that reduced the death rates might have had a role in the increase of population. The monarchies in Europe especially Britain were able to maintain political stabilities in their countries thus reducing death rates tremendously.

e.    Better sanitation

Better sanitation contributed to the demographic revolution in Europe. These services improved the welfare of the people and increased life expectancy. It should be noted that many deadly diseases such as typhoid, dysentery and cholera were eliminated through proper sewage disposal and provision of clean water.

The role of demographic revolution in the rise of capitalism in Europe

The demographic revolution played a fundamental role in supporting the industrial revolution consequently leading to the rise of capitalism. It played the following roles;

a.    Provided a ready market.

The huge growth of population, Example from twelve million people in 1760 AD to twenty four in 1830 in Britain provided a ready market for industrial manufactured goods. The existence of ready markets accelerated industrial activities thus the rise of capitalism.

b.   Provision of cheap labor.

The demographic revolution contributed to the rise of the working class in Europe. The working class refers to a group of people who do not own anything apart from their labour power. These workers contributed to the rise of capitalism by providing cheap labour in industries.

c.    Stimulated inter–regional trade.

The rapid increase in population contributed to inter regional trade which consequently led to the rise of capitalism. The population explosion availed a ready market which stimulated trading activities in Europe. It also made people to abandon subsistence agriculture for economic activities.

d.    Development of towns.

The population increase in Europe contributed to the development of towns. The increase in population was followed by massive rural urban migration, the population in towns such as London, tripled by the end of the 18^th C; this promoted the provision of various social services such as roads, schools and health centers which were conducive for the industrial revolution.

e.    Destruction of the feudal mode of production.

The rapid increase in population contributed to the destruction of the feudal mode of production because; feudal relations could not match the increase in the population. The decline of feudalism paved way for the rise of capitalist.

Impacts of the Demographic Revolution on the development of capitalism in Europe.

i. Enable availability of markets.

ii.  Growth of towns and cities

iii.  Emergence if researches and invetors led to the rise of scientific to industrial revolution for example harvesting machine.

iv.   Enable availability of labour supply.

v.  Emergence of working class.

vi. It provide effective and strong capitalist government with increase of people for example in parliament, army increase.