Potential Exam Questions about Industrial Revolution and the Labour Movement.

1.- List and explain de characteristics of Economic Liberalism.
 DEFINITION: Economic system in wich freedom of production and free trade are essential condition for the economic development.

It has the following CHARACTERISITICS:

• It was based on the ideas of Adam Smith

• He believed that state, shouldn´t interfere with activities related to economic.
• Manufactures should be free to produce every goods they wanted. (Economic liberalism believes in
• the law of supply and demand)
• Free competition between businesses, wich led to low prices and better-quality products.
• Merchants should be allowed to import and exports goods with no restrictions. As a consequence,      economic liberalism defends free trade agianst protectionism.

                                                                                                                         Jaime Izquierdo.

2.- Explain the origins of the class-based society.

•    At the end of the 18th century, a new type of social organization was emerging in Europe, which replaced the traditional estates system of the Ancien Regime.
•    In this new class-based society, people’s social status depended on their work and their personal wealth, and not on their family background.
•    The new class-based society had its origins in the political and economic changes that had taken place during the liberal and industrial revolutions of the late 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century.
•    As a result of the French Revolution, the privileges enjoyed by the clergy and the nobility were abolished. This change led to the collapse of the estates system.
•    The Industrial Revolution increased the importance of the wealthy bourgeoisie, who became the owners of factories and businesses.
•    At the same time, a new social group emerged: the working class (aka the Proletariat). This group was composed mostly of industrial workers who lived by working for wages.

Iván Rico González.

3.- List and explain the common characteristics of Economic Liberalism and Industrial Capitalism.

 INTERESTS:  Both served the interests of wealthy capitalists and business owners

OBJECTIVES:  Both aimed to produce profits that could be re-invested in business

CONSEQUENCES:  Both led an increase in social inequealities. According to economic liberalism, the state shouldn't intervene in economic activity. This also meant that the state shouldn't intervene to solve the problems that were created by industialization, such as people losing their jobs, high unemployment or poor working conditions

                                                                                                                             Diego F. Valle Paz

4.- List an explain the common characteristics of Industrial Capitalism.

DEFINITION: System in which puts the ideas of economic liberalism into practise.

- Main characteristics

• Under commercial capitalism, trade had been the most important source of profits.
• Under industrail capitalism, industrial production became a country´s most profitable economic activities.

                                                                                          Pelayo Saez Díaz.
5.-List the causes of the industrialrevolution and explain all of theme

1.-Population growth•    Advances in nutrition medicine and hygiene which led to an improvement of living conditions
•     This brought about a population growth
•    As a result, the demand increased, which stimulated agricultural and industrial production
•    In addition, there also was a larger work-force

2.-Technological progress
•    The replacement of tools and mechanisms by machines that enabled factories to produce goods more quickly and more cheaply
•    The invention of the first steam engine
•    As a result, prices decreased

3.-.Financial support from agriculture and trade
•    Agricultural and commercial activities provided capital that could be invested in industry
•    This investment was essential because industries required large amounts of money
•    Agriculture and trade were in a position to provide capital to the industy because a commercial and agricultural revolution had taken place previously
•    Agricultural revolution
•    The enclosure of agricultural land increased agricultural production
•    New mechanisms were introduced along with greater use of crop rotation and fertilizers
•    Commercial revolution
•    In Great Britain foreing trade and domestic trade experienced a great development
•    Foreing trade: Great Britain’s dominance of maritime trade routes led to the expansion of the trade
•    Domestic trade: It also increased due to
         1.    Greater demand for goods
         2.    Improved transport system
         3.    The absence of internal duties
         4.-Favourable political and social structure
•    Great Britain’s parliamentary monarchy allowed the bourgeoise to participate in government
•    As a result, this social group was able to promote measures that advanced its economic interests

                                                                                                               Aitor Rodríguez Beasain