The 19th century was a truly golden era for England. At this time, her political and economic authority became almost unquestioned. She managed to avoid the French revolutionary contagion because a completely different revolution, the scientific and technological one, was in full swing in it. The industrial coup brought the country to a leading position in the world economy, and England’s rather active foreign policy ensured her world domination among European states. These and many other factors not only influenced the life of the British themselves, but also set a certain vector for the development of history.
The Industrial Revolution in England in the 19th Century
In order to understand why the scientific and technological revolution in England received the most fertile ground for its development, you need to delve a little into history. The fact is that England met the 19th century as the first country where conditions were created for the appearance of capitalism. The bourgeois revolution of the late 17th century gave this country a new political system - not an absolute, but a constitutional monarchy. A new bourgeoisie was admitted to power, which made it possible to direct state policy toward economic development as well. On this basis, ideas on the mechanization of human labor, and therefore, on the cheapening of labor and production costs, of course, got the opportunity to come true. As a result, the global market was flooded with English goods, which were better and cheaper than the products of those countries where manufacturing still dominated.
Great relocation
A decrease in the share of the peasant population and an increase in the urban population — this is how the 19th century changed the social face of England. The beginning of the great resettlement was again laid by the industrial revolution. The number of factories and factories was constantly increasing, and more and more new labor was required. At the same time, this factor did not lead to a decline in agriculture. On the contrary, it only benefited from this. In conditions of fierce competition, small peasant farms gave way to large land tenure - farming. Only those survived who were able to optimize their management style: use improved fertilizers, machines and agricultural machinery of a new type. Of course, the costs of running such an economy became larger, but the profit due to the increase in turnover became completely different. So in this way, with the transition to capitalism in England (19th century), agriculture began to develop rapidly. Productivity and livestock productivity in the country overtook many European countries several times.
Colonial policy of the United Kingdom
Perhaps no country owned as many colonies as England did in the first half of the 19th century. India, Canada, Africa, and then Australia also became a source of accumulation of its wealth. But if earlier they were simply plundered by English colonists, the 19th century is characterized by a completely different colonial policy. England begins to use the colonies as a market for its goods and a source of raw materials. For example, Australia, where there was absolutely nothing to take, England used as a huge sheep farm. India has become a source of raw materials for the cotton industry. At the same time, England flooded the colonies with its goods, blocking the possibility of developing its own production there and thereby increasing the dependence of satellites on its island master. In general, foreign policy was far-sighted.
Bread hungry
The more England became wealthier, the more noticeable became the gap between the rich and the poor. Charles Dickens had a vibrant nature for his sketches. It is hard to say whether he exaggerated so much. The length of the working day was rarely less than 12-13 hours, and more often more. At the same time, wages were barely enough to make ends meet. The manufacturers used the cheap women and even child labor all the time - the introduction to the production of machines allowed this. Any labor unions were forbidden and perceived as rebellious. In 1819, a demonstration of workers was shot in Manchester, in the Petersfield area. Contemporaries called this slaughter "the battle of Peterloo." But a much sharper confrontation arose between manufacturers and landowners. The increase in grain prices provoked a rise in price of bread, which forced workers to raise wages. As a result, in parliament for many years, manufacturers and landowners tugged at the "bread laws."
Crazy king
The political ambitions of England were very great. The fact that the head of state was absolutely insane did not stop them. In 1811, George, king of England, was declared incompetent, and his eldest son actually took over the reins of government, becoming regent. Napoleon’s military failure played into the hands of British diplomats. After his retreat from the walls of Moscow, it was England that became the organizing principle, which militia spread all over Europe to the French leader. The Paris world, signed in 1814, added a significant amount of new lands to its asset. France was to give England to Malta, Tobago and Seychelles. Holland - lands in Guyana with magnificent cotton plantations, Ceylon and Cape of Good Hope. Denmark - Helgoland. And even under her supreme patronage the Ionian Islands were placed. Such an increment of territories turned into an era of regency. England did not yawn at sea either. After the Great Armada, it was she who took over the title of "mistress of the seas." Two years lasted her confrontation with the United States. English ships constantly cruised through neutral waters near the continent, not even shying from openly robber raids. In 1814, a peace was signed, which temporarily brought some peace.
Time of calm and calm
The time during which William IV of England ruled (1830-1837) proved to be very fruitful for the country. Even though few believed in this, the king was 65 years old at the time of accession to the throne, a considerable age for that time. One of the most socially significant laws was the introduction of restrictions on child labor. Almost all of the United Kingdom of Great Britain was freed from slavery. Changed the law on the poor. It was the most peaceful and peaceful period in the first half of the 19th century. Until the Crimean War of 1853, there were no major wars. But the most significant reform of William IV was parliamentary reform. The old system did not allow not only workers, but also the new industrial bourgeoisie to participate in the elections. The House of Commons was in the hands of merchants, wealthy landowners, and bankers. They were the masters of the parliament. The bourgeoisie appealed for help to the workers, who, hoping that they would also get a legislative place, helped them defend their rights. Often with weapons in hand. The July Revolution of 1830 in France was another strong impetus to the solution of this problem. In 1832, parliamentary reform was carried out, thanks to which the industrial bourgeoisie received the right to vote in parliament. The workers, however, did not benefit from this, which caused the Chartist movement in England.
Workers struggle for their rights
Having been deceived by the promises of the bourgeoisie, the working class now opposed it. In 1835, mass demonstrations and performances began again, aggravated by the onset of the crisis of 1836, when thousands of hard workers were thrown out into the street. In London, the "Workers' Union" was formed, which formulated a charter for universal suffrage for submitting it to parliament. In English, the "charter" sounds like a "charter", hence the name - the Chartist movement. In England, the workers demanded to equalize their rights with the bourgeoisie and allow them to nominate their candidates for government. Their situation was getting worse and the only one who could stand up for them was themselves. The movement was divided into three camps. London carpenter Lovett led the moderate wing, who believes that everything can be achieved peacefully through negotiations. Other chartists contemptuously called this branch the "pink water party." The course of the physical struggle was led by Irish lawyer O`Connor. The owner of remarkable strength, an excellent boxer, he led the more militant workers. But there was a third, revolutionary wing. His leader was Garni. A fan of Marx and Engels and the ideals of the French Revolution, he actively fought for the seizure of land from farmers in favor of the state and for the establishment of an eight-hour workday standard. On the whole, the Chartist movement in England failed. However, it did have some significance: the bourgeoisie was forced to meet the workers on a number of points, and laws were passed in parliament protecting the rights of the workers.
19th Century: England at its peak
In 1837, Queen Victoria ascended the throne. The time of her reign is considered the "golden era" of the country. The relative calm that characterized England's foreign policy made it possible to finally concentrate on economic development. As a result, by the mid-19th century it was the most powerful and richest power in Europe. She could dictate her conditions on the world political scene and establish connections that were beneficial to her. In 1841, the railway opened, on which the Queen made her first journey. Many Englishmen still consider Victoria’s reign to be the best period that the history of England knew. The 19th century, which left deep scars in many countries, turned out to be simply blessed for the island nation. But, perhaps, even more than political and economic successes, the British are proud of the moral character that the queen instilled in her subjects. The features of the Victorian era in England have long become a byword. At this time, everything that was somehow connected with the physical side of human nature was not only hidden, but also actively reproached. Tough moral laws required complete submission, and their violation was strictly punished. It even reached the point of absurdity: when an exposition of ancient statues was brought to England, they were not exposed until they covered their shame with fig leaves. The attitude towards women was reverent, up to complete enslavement. They were not allowed to read newspapers with political articles; they were not allowed to travel unaccompanied by men. The greatest value was considered marriage and family, divorce or treason was exposed simply as a criminal offense.
Kingdom imperial ambitions
By the middle of the 19th century, it had already become clear that the “golden era” was declining. The United States and the unified Germany gradually began to raise their heads, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain began to gradually give up its leading position in the global political arena. Conservative parties came to power, promoting imperialist slogans. They contrasted liberal values ​​— focusing on social and economic development — with promises of stability, calls for moderate reform and the preservation of traditional British institutions. The leader of the conservative party at that time was Disraeli. He accused the liberals of betraying national interests. The main factor supporting the "imperialism" of England, the conservatives considered military power. Already in the middle of 1870 the term “British Empire” first appeared, Queen Victoria became known as the Empress of India. The liberals, led by W. Gladstone, focused on colonial politics. Over the 19th century, England acquired so many territories that it became increasingly difficult to keep them all in one hand. Gladstone was a supporter of the Greek model of colonization; he believed that spiritual and cultural ties were much stronger than economic ones. Canada was granted a constitution, and the rest of the colonies received much greater economic and political independence.
Time to concede
Actively developing after the unification, Germany began to show unambiguous impulses to hegemony. English goods were no longer the only ones on the world market, German and American products were now no worse. In England, they came to the conclusion that it is necessary to change economic policy. Established in 1881, the Fair Trade League decided to reorient goods from the European market to the Asian one. The notorious colonies should have helped her in this. In parallel with this, the British actively developed Africa, as well as the territories adjacent to British India. Many Asian countries - Afghanistan and Iran, for example - have become almost half the colonies of England. But for the first time in many years, the island nation began to face competition in this field. For example, France, Belgium, Germany and Portugal also claimed their rights to African lands. On this basis in the UK “jingoist” sentiments began to develop actively. The term "jingo" denoted supporters of aggressive diplomacy and forceful methods in politics. Later, extreme nationalists who cherished the ideas of imperial patriotism began to be called jingoists. They believed that the more territories England conquered, the greater would be its power and authority.
The 19th century can rightfully be called the century of England in world history. No wonder she received the title "workshop of the world." There were more English goods on the market than any other. They were cheap and boasted excellent quality. The scientific and technological revolution gave the richest fruits in England, which became possible due to the fact that in this country, earlier than in everyone else, they abandoned the absolute monarchy. The new forces in the legislature brought very positive results. The country's growing aggressive appetites provided it with a large number of new territories, which, of course, in addition to wealth, brought many problems. Nevertheless, by the end of the 19th century, England became one of the most powerful states, which subsequently allowed her to further draw a map of the world and decide the fate of history.