Full Description
This book sheds new light on one of the most debated questions in economic history: Why did Britain lead the way in the First Industrial Revolution? It does so by examining Britain's technological breakthroughs, especially steam power, in a global comparative context.
From the early modern period to the beginning of the 20th century, the book explores how Britain pioneered the first general-purpose technology of the modern era and how it spread to five other economies: Italy, the Dutch Republic, China, the United States, and Belgium.
Using various methodological approaches, the authors trace delays and distinctive national trajectories in adopting British innovations. The result is a nuanced picture of technological invention, energy transitions, and the institutional factors that shaped industrialization across regions. This book will appeal to scholars, researchers, and students interested in the little and Great Divergence debates, technological change, and the global history of industrialization.
Contents
Chapter 1. The Debate on British Exceptionalism: An Introduction.- Part I: Britain.- Chapter 2. The Formation of the British Technological Paradigm During the Industrial Revolution: The Three Leading Sectors.- Chapter 3. Reassessing the Role of Steam Power in the British Industrial Revolution.- Chapter 4. Inventing the British Industrial Revolution: Primary Factors and the Role of Contingency.- Part II: Followers.- Chapter 5. Energy Transition and Technology in Italy, 1660-1913.- Chapter 6. Technological Adoption Before and During the First Industrial Revolution in the Netherlands and Belgium (ca. 1750-1900).- Chapter 7. Innovation and Industry in China, ca. 1750-1930.- Chapter 8. The Industrial Revolution in the United States: 1790-1870.- Chapter 9. Understanding the Industrial Revolution through National Technology Systems: An Epilogue.
