How Was Britain Able to Establish Itself as the 'Workshop of the World'?

Authors Avatar

Laura Curnock

09/05/2007

How Was Britain Able to Establish Itself as the ‘Workshop of the World’?

During the period of 1780 to 1846, Britain established itself as the world’s largest industrial country, or in the words of a journalist from the time the ‘Workshop of the World’.  Britain produced many raw materials, which were used for industry, in Britain and throughout the world.  As a result of trade Britain became a very wealthy country.  Prior to 1780 Britain realised the beneficial factors it could develop to become a well organised, industrialized society.  Trade and overseas trade was the biggest of factors, which allowed Britain to establish itself as the ‘Workshop of the World’, but other factor included mechanisation and transport.  Just how did these factors assist Britain in its transformation into a ‘well oiled’ society?

Trade in 1780 expanded on a worldwide scale.  Britain was at the centre of this expansion.  At the time of the industrial revolution Britain had an expanse of world in its possession.  The British Empire consisted of countries such as America and India, both that had mass products of export.  As Phil Chapple said in his book The Industrialisation of Britain 1780-1914 overseas trade was a very ‘important stimulus to manufacturing and commerce’.  Britain benefited from strong commercial links with America, whom produced cotton in the South, which Britain processed into textiles to then be re-exported to other countries.

        Britain had numerous advantages concerning trade, facilitating its growing wealth.  The global position of Britain was very beneficial.  Britain was in a good spot to trade across the Atlantic Ocean with American colonies, and also to trade with the rest of Europe.  No mainland territory meant that Britain didn’t have to spend too much money defending its territories, and so there was more money to invest in trade and commerce.  Britain could produce many raw materials due to its beneficial geographical diversity; the climate, land, and global position.  The main raw materials produced in Britain in the early 18th and 19th centuries, were coal, iron ore, wool, timber and limestone.  In 1750 only about 4 million tonnes of coal per year were being mined in Britain.  Nevertheless by 1850 coal was needed for nearly all industries; it drove steam engines, heated furnaces for iron and steel, fired kilns for potteries and brickworks.  Production had risen more than 10 times and 50 million tonnes per year were mined.

Join now!

        Unlike Europe, trading throughout the British Empire was toll free.  In Europe tolls would be charged to trade between countries, this prevented trade growing as much.  However Britain did have to pay to transport goods when using roads, canals, or railways.

        Transportation played a big part in the development of Britain as the world-centre of industry.  All materials raw or otherwise after being manufactured needed to be transported, to be sold.  At first horse drawn carriages were used on roads to transport goods.  However as trade developed, it was found that many roads were in ill repair and there wasn’t ...

This is a preview of the whole essay