Summary of the main factors that led to the British Industrial Revolution

Main factors: The British bourgeoisie has established its rule, has a vast overseas market, a large accumulation of original capital, abundant free labor, convenient international trade and transportation, and developed agricultural capitalism. In addition, the UK has many other favorable factors. Factors such as: (1) Rich in coal and iron resources, Britain can smelt a large amount of iron and increase iron production; the increase in iron production allows people to use more iron to make machines. (2) The UK has a gentle terrain, long coastline, many natural harbors, and convenient transportation conditions. There are many rivers suitable for navigation in the UK, such as the Thames, Severn, Clyde, etc., with a dense network of rivers. According to some statistics, no place on the island of Great Britain is more than 90 kilometers away from the sea or a navigable river. Since the 18th century, in order to further improve transportation, Britain has started a craze for building canals. Canals crisscross various places and connect major rivers. Through water transportation, raw materials and products can be sent to various places. Convenient transportation has greatly reduced transportation costs. Conducive to the development of industry. (3) Britain implemented a relatively loose religious policy. In 1685, the French king carried out religious persecution, and a large number of Huguenots were forced to leave France and come to Britain. They are innovative and have produced many inventors and entrepreneurs among them. (4) The UK has a superior geographical location, guarding the English Channel and facing the European continent. This distance is neither long nor short, allowing the UK to avoid war on the mainland while maintaining close ties with the mainland. There is no such thing as Ireland and Iceland. The feeling of an isolated island overseas. After the opening of the new sea route, the center of European shipping shifted from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and Italy declined. Britain was precisely at the central hub of this route, providing extremely favorable conditions for the development of overseas trade and colonial undertakings. (5) It is a historical opportunity. The British bourgeois revolution coincided with the Thirty Years' War on the European continent. European countries, especially France, the most powerful country at the time, were deeply involved. This prevented Britain from being besieged by the heroes during the French Revolution, and the revolution was able to proceed smoothly. During the Seven Years' War, Britain was once isolated, with only small Prussia as an ally on the European continent. The French army won victory over the British army in overseas battlefields in 1756-1757, the early stage of the war. However, the small country of Prussia created a historical miracle under the siege of the three major powers of France, Russia and Austria, which offset the significance of the French army's overseas victory. France has since been deeply trapped in the European battlefield, ultimately leading to failure. Britain defeated the last strong opponent of overseas colonial expansion, seized vast colonies, established maritime hegemony, plundered huge wealth from colonies and the slave trade, completed the primitive accumulation of capital, and began the industrial revolution.