2024-2025
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC HISTORY
MODULE 5: FROM THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS TO THE FIRST
WORLD WAR
KH
,From the Industrial Revolution to the First World War:
In this module we will be discussing some of the key moments in European history between 1750 AD,
the start of the Industrial Revolution and 1914 AD, the start of the First World War.
The following maps are for illustration purposes: (how Europe changed)
Europe 1715 Europe 1812 (Napoleonic Times)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EB1911_Europe_-_1715.jpg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_1812_map_en.png
Europe 1871 Europe 1914
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_1871_map_en.png https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_Europe_alliances_1914-en.svg
1
, The Age of Enlightenment and political revolutions:
The Age of Enlightenment: late 17th century – beginning 19th century
A philosophical and intellectual movement in Europe focussing on reasoning, rationality, individual
rights, liberty, the rule of law, secularism, belief in human and societal improvement.
Enlightenment Methodology: (a new way of thinking)
The novel western methodology emphasised reason, empirical evidence, and systematic inquiry
(scientific method and scepticism). It involved breaking down larger problems into smaller, more
manageable subproblems to facilitate a better understanding of the broader context. This approach
is known as reductionism. The new methodology paved the way for great inventions such as Newton
in sciences, Voltaire in politics and philosophy, Euler in mathematics, Adam Smith in modern
economics (Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations).
Decline of absolute monarchies and the Roman Catholic Church:
During the preceding period leading up to and encompassing the Age of Enlightenment, the authority
of monarchies and the Roman Catholic Church encountered significant challenges as a result of the
emergence of novel ideas and advancements. Philosophers started thinking and writing about the
divine right of kings, natural rights, separation of powers, and a representative government. These
ideas undermined the absolute monarchies. The scientific revolution and the rise of rationalism
increased scepticism towards religious dogma, weakening the Church’s influence over intellectual
and public life. The Protestant Movement had already begun to undermine the Catholic Church’s
monopoly on religion, and there was now an increasing call for separation of church and state, as well
as freedom of religious conviction. These (new) ideas inspired many of the revolutions to come (e.g.
United States of America 1765 – 17831 and France 1789 – 1799).
Democratisation of information:
The emergence of co\ee houses as social centres for open discussion, thought, and reflection greatly
contributed to political activist movements. Besides the co\ee houses, there were printed books,
journals, and pamphlets. The printed media allowed for rapid and widespread dissemination of
Enlightenment ideas far beyond the (small) social circles thanks to the invention to the printing press.
Overall, there was a new democratised access to information and a rise in critical thinking. This is
what laid the foundation of modern democratic and intellectual life.
Roots:
The roots of the Age of Enlightenment lie in the humanist movement of the Renaissance which we
discussed in the previous module and important scientific developments. The developments were
able to take place because of the new way of thinking about the natural world. Before the Renaissance
and the Age of Enlightenment the leading theory was that earth was the centre of the universe.
Copernicus however, a Renaissance thinker proposed the idea that the sun was the centre of the
universe and not earth. An example of scientific development during the Renaissance is the
development of an improved telescope by Galileo Galilei.
1
Declaration of independence of the United States of America – July 4th, 1776.
2
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC HISTORY
MODULE 5: FROM THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS TO THE FIRST
WORLD WAR
KH
,From the Industrial Revolution to the First World War:
In this module we will be discussing some of the key moments in European history between 1750 AD,
the start of the Industrial Revolution and 1914 AD, the start of the First World War.
The following maps are for illustration purposes: (how Europe changed)
Europe 1715 Europe 1812 (Napoleonic Times)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EB1911_Europe_-_1715.jpg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_1812_map_en.png
Europe 1871 Europe 1914
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_1871_map_en.png https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_Europe_alliances_1914-en.svg
1
, The Age of Enlightenment and political revolutions:
The Age of Enlightenment: late 17th century – beginning 19th century
A philosophical and intellectual movement in Europe focussing on reasoning, rationality, individual
rights, liberty, the rule of law, secularism, belief in human and societal improvement.
Enlightenment Methodology: (a new way of thinking)
The novel western methodology emphasised reason, empirical evidence, and systematic inquiry
(scientific method and scepticism). It involved breaking down larger problems into smaller, more
manageable subproblems to facilitate a better understanding of the broader context. This approach
is known as reductionism. The new methodology paved the way for great inventions such as Newton
in sciences, Voltaire in politics and philosophy, Euler in mathematics, Adam Smith in modern
economics (Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations).
Decline of absolute monarchies and the Roman Catholic Church:
During the preceding period leading up to and encompassing the Age of Enlightenment, the authority
of monarchies and the Roman Catholic Church encountered significant challenges as a result of the
emergence of novel ideas and advancements. Philosophers started thinking and writing about the
divine right of kings, natural rights, separation of powers, and a representative government. These
ideas undermined the absolute monarchies. The scientific revolution and the rise of rationalism
increased scepticism towards religious dogma, weakening the Church’s influence over intellectual
and public life. The Protestant Movement had already begun to undermine the Catholic Church’s
monopoly on religion, and there was now an increasing call for separation of church and state, as well
as freedom of religious conviction. These (new) ideas inspired many of the revolutions to come (e.g.
United States of America 1765 – 17831 and France 1789 – 1799).
Democratisation of information:
The emergence of co\ee houses as social centres for open discussion, thought, and reflection greatly
contributed to political activist movements. Besides the co\ee houses, there were printed books,
journals, and pamphlets. The printed media allowed for rapid and widespread dissemination of
Enlightenment ideas far beyond the (small) social circles thanks to the invention to the printing press.
Overall, there was a new democratised access to information and a rise in critical thinking. This is
what laid the foundation of modern democratic and intellectual life.
Roots:
The roots of the Age of Enlightenment lie in the humanist movement of the Renaissance which we
discussed in the previous module and important scientific developments. The developments were
able to take place because of the new way of thinking about the natural world. Before the Renaissance
and the Age of Enlightenment the leading theory was that earth was the centre of the universe.
Copernicus however, a Renaissance thinker proposed the idea that the sun was the centre of the
universe and not earth. An example of scientific development during the Renaissance is the
development of an improved telescope by Galileo Galilei.
1
Declaration of independence of the United States of America – July 4th, 1776.
2
