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Thursday, March 27, 2014

How and why did some governments reform their practices because of the Industrial Revolution?


As industrial global capitalism changed the economy of the world, it also changed forms of governing.  With rising demand for raw materials, some nations became imperialists.  They needed new materials, and new participants to buy their exports.  By establishing a presence in foreign lands, governments were able to stimulate economic growth.  These practices led to warfare, as some natives resisted and other nations fought for customers.  Another tactic that was used was raising the wages of factory workers.  This opened up more opportunities for these workers to be able to buy products domestically.  However, not all nations raised wages.  The English government sided with wealthy business owners, and did not raise the minimum wage.  This contrast of governing styles show how different nations formed new policies. Most rulers ruled through centralized government with the help of these centralized business.

This map shows the land imperial powers took over.
Sources:

"Responses to the Industrial Revolution." Webs.bcp.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
Wang, Qiudong. "The Trend of Global Capitalism." Arizona, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

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