What Is The Purpose Of The Industrial Revolution In World History By Peter Stearns

The book The Industrial Revolution in World History by Peter Stearns deals with the unfolding of the Industrial Revolution. Apart from that, it deals with the key topics that promoted it around the world, how it changed the world, and the deterioration of the worker while working there, thus dealing with World History. All of this then focuses on the change from an agrarian society to a industrial based society. The author’s purpose was to give a more detailed analysis of the Industrial Revolution. Stearns uses journal entries of people who lived during the era as primary sources and as a way into transport the reader back in time.

The novel The Industrial Revolution in World History discusses how the Industrial Revolution influenced many countries such as Britain, United States, Japan,

Germany, and Russia. Stearns describes the life of the worker, whether it was a child, woman, or man. He recounts the events that expanded the Industrial Revolution all over the world. The author also describes the steps societies took to make sure they could keep up with the world and what they did to industrialize their cities. And last but not least, Stearns describes how humans and animals, as power sources for manufacturing and production, got replaced by fossil fuels and waterpower,
The book itself has many strengths which make it a very enjoyable book to read.

The author focuses a lot on the human side of the Industrial Revolution, something that most of us ignore completely at times. The author focuses a lot in the wear and tear of the human and how the industrialization affected the worker’s life, health condition, and family. The Industrial Revolution changed ideals in labor. For example, it was socially accepted for a child to work but after the Industrial Revolution that changed. Stearns describes the conditions they lived in, “ Shifts of children worked day and night...Not surprisingly, some children commited suicide, having been driven to physical and emotional despair.” By describing the conditions, Stearns helps the reader visualize the conditions that the children lived in. Stearns, not only describes the work life of a child, but also of the female worker. “ Factory recruiters contracted with fathers and brothers...giving them a fee for the commitment of a daughter or sister…” , writes Stearns. Using this imagery, the author appeals to the reader’s emotions and makes the reader put him/herself in the shoes of the child, figuratively

speaking.
Another strength the book has is that provokes thinking and it explains a lot of today’s culture. For example, Stearns writes,” The status of old people changed… jobs became associated with high energy and the ability to learn new techniques, and the elderly were culturally downgraded because they seemed to lack the qualities.” Back then, elderly people were the leaders of the town or society who held all the wisdom and knowledge. But with the Industrial Revolution taking place, elders were debased to just lovable and adorable people. “ The industrial revolution changed the nature of war...industrial war meant more rapid and massive troop movements,devastating weaponry, and greatly increased death and maiming in battle,” says Stearns. The industrialization that happened back then is still affecting today’s society and warfare.
I agree with Stearns that the industrial revolution had, and still has, a big impact on the world’s societies. The industrial revolution changed life, for better or worse depends on the people and how they see it. Without it, we would never see the repercussions of child labor or have the advanced technology we use on a daily basis. But with the benefits of industrialization, death also comes with it. The revolution also made it possible to make new weapons that had never been nor imagined by humankind. All of this, is still resonant today and will continue to shape our society and culture whether it is for the better or worse.