Industrial Revolution, Imperialism and Inequality

MYP Unit Framework

Key Concept: CHANGE Related Concepts: Innovation. Power. Inequality. Global Context: Globalisation and Sustainability (How did industrialisation create the MODERN world — and its INEQUALITIES?) Statement of Inquiry: The Industrial Revolution fundamentally TRANSFORMED human society — creating unprecedented WEALTH and technological power, but also DEEPENING global INEQUALITIES through IMPERIALISM, the LEGACIES of which continue to shape our world.

Inquiry Questions

1. The Industrial Revolution (~1760–1840) — The World Transformed

Why Britain?

1. Natural Resources: Abundant COAL and IRON ORE.
2. Colonial Empire: Provided RAW MATERIALS (cotton from India/America) and MARKETS for finished goods.
3. Capital: Wealth from TRADE and the SLAVE TRADE provided investment money.
4. Political Stability: Constitutional monarchy. Property rights protected.
5. Culture of Innovation: Patent laws. Scientific societies. Practical problem-solving valued.

Key Inventions

Social Impact — The Two Faces

The Luddites — Resistance to Machines

'Not "anti-technology primitives." WORKERS whose JOBS were being taken by machines. They destroyed machines as a form of PROTEST. The British government made machine-breaking PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. The Luddites were crushed. But their question remains: WHO BENEFITS from technological change — and WHO LOSES?'

2. Imperialism — The 'Scramble' for Colonies

Industrialisation → Imperialism

'The Industrial Revolution created a HUNGER: for RAW MATERIALS (to feed the factories). For MARKETS (to sell the goods). For CHEAP LABOUR. The industrialised nations — Britain, France, Germany, Belgium — LOOKED TO THE WORLD. And they TOOK it.'

The Scramble for Africa (1881–1914)

In 1870: ~10% of Africa was colonised by Europeans. By 1914: ~90% was colonised. 'The Berlin Conference (1884–85): European powers sat around a table — NO AFRICANS PRESENT — and DIVIDED AFRICA among themselves. They drew BORDERS that ignored ethnic, linguistic, and cultural divisions. Those borders are STILL the borders of African nations today. The conflicts those borders created are STILL BEING FOUGHT.'

Justifications for Empire — The 'Civilising Mission'

Europeans justified imperialism with IDEOLOGY:

• 'We are bringing CIVILISATION to the SAVAGES.'
• 'The WHITE MAN'S BURDEN' (Rudyard Kipling's poem).
• 'We are spreading CHRISTIANITY.'
• 'Social Darwinism' — the idea that Europeans were BIOLOGICALLY SUPERIOR and 'survival of the fittest' justified their dominance.

'These were RACIST IDEOLOGIES — but they were sincerely BELIEVED by many Europeans. They were taught in schools. They were preached in churches. They shaped policy. Ideology is not an "excuse" for imperialism — it is HOW imperialism WORKS. People do terrible things — and they BELIEVE they are doing good.'

3. Case Studies in Colonial Impact

India — The 'Jewel in the Crown'

• The British East India Company → British CROWN rule (1858).
• India was DEINDUSTRIALISED. Its textile industry — once the world's leader — was DELIBERATELY DESTROYED to protect British manufacturers. 'India went from EXPORTER of textiles to IMPORTER.'
• DRAIN OF WEALTH: Dadabhai Naoroji estimated Britain extracted ~£30 million annually from India.

Congo Free State — The Belgian Genocide

Under King Leopold II of Belgium (1885–1908). NOT a colony of Belgium — Leopold's PERSONAL PROPERTY. He extracted RUBBER using FORCED LABOUR. Failure to meet quotas → hands cut off. An estimated 10 MILLION Congolese died. 'One of the GREATEST CRIMES of the colonial era — and one of the least remembered in the West.'

4. The Legacy — Global Inequality Today

The 'Great Divergence'

'Before 1800: The difference in living standards between the richest and poorest regions was relatively SMALL. After the Industrial Revolution: The gap EXPLODED. Western Europe and North America became RICH. Much of Asia, Africa, and Latin America remained POOR — or became POORER. This "Great Divergence" was not an ACCIDENT. It was the RESULT of industrialisation in some places — and COLONISATION and DEINDUSTRIALISATION in others.'

The Debate — Reparations?

'Should former colonial powers PAY REPARATIONS — financial compensation — to the countries they colonised?' Arguments FOR: 'The wealth of Europe was BUILT on colonial exploitation. The colonies were IMPOVERISHED. The effects PERSIST.' Arguments AGAINST: 'The people alive today did not commit these crimes. The money would go to governments — not to the descendants of victims. How do you even CALCULATE what is "owed"?'

Your Summative Assessment

Task: 'The Historical Investigation' Choose ONE colony or region affected by imperialism. Investigate: What was life like BEFORE colonisation? How did colonisation CHANGE it — economically, politically, culturally? What are the LASTING EFFECTS today? Use PRIMARY SOURCES (at least one). Present your findings as a research report.

ATL Skills