The Industrial Revolution in World History

by Peter N. Stearns

Overview

Now in its sixth edition, this book explores the ways in which the industrial revolution reshaped world history, covering the international factors that helped launch the industrial revolution, its global spread and its impact from the end of the eighteenth century to the present day.

The single most important development in human history over the past three centuries, the industrial revolution continues to shape the contemporary world. Revised and brought into the present, The Industrial Revolution in World History extends the global analysis of the industrial revolution, looking beyond the West, extending to India, the Middle East and Africa and now including more on key Latin American economies and China, as well as environmental impacts in all these areas. A new chapter covers the heightened tensions, since 2008, about the economic aspects of globalization and the decline of manufacturing in the West, plus the implications of Artificial Intelligence. This edition also features an updated suggestions for further reading and boxed debate features that encourage the reader to consider diversity and different viewpoints in their own analysis.

Illustrating the contemporary relevance of the industrial revolution’s history, this is essential reading for students of world history and economics, as well as for those seeking to know more about the global implications of what is arguably the defining socioeconomic event of modern times.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781041200659
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/23/2026
Edition description:	6th ed.
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Peter N. Stearns is University Professor and Provost Emeritus at George Mason University, USA.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: defining the industrial revolution  Part I: The first phase, 1780-1889: Western primacy, global contexts and global impact  2. Britain’s revolution: new processes and economic transformation  3. New Causes: why did the industrial revolution happen, and why did it happen in eighteenth-century Britain  4. The industrial revolution in Western society  5. The social impact of the industrial revolution  6. Impact on the world economy  Part 2: The second phase, 1880-1950: The new international cast  7. The industrial revolution changes stripes, 1880-1950  8. The industrial revolution in Russia  9. The industrial revolution in Japan  10. New developments in Western societies: a second revolution? Redefinitions of the industrial economy  11. The industrial revolution in international context  Part 3: The Third Phase: industrial development from the 1950s to the 2020s  12. The industrial revolution in the contemporary world  13. The New Industrial Revolutions: transforming the international balance sheet  14. China’s Breakthrough: another big industrial revolution  15. Advanced industrial economies: a new revolution?  16. Globalization, Progress and Exploitation: a new world economy  17. Global industry and the environment  18. Disruptions and New Directions in the Industrial World  19. Conclusion: Industrialization as an Ongoing Process  20. Suggestions for further reading