To block or not : why the British ruling elite enabled the Industrial Revolution during the 18th century
(2024) In European Review of Economic History 28(3). p.335-359- Abstract
This study explores why the ruling elite in 18th-century Britain not only allowed but actively supported industrialization. Economic rents, political power, and international competition are commonly cited as the reasons, but these explanations lack empirical evidence. By conducting a text analysis of parliamentary legislation and debates on the cotton industry, this study demonstrates that the ruling elite was primarily motivated by keeping unemployment low and sustaining the British economy’s international competitiveness. A favorable political system facilitated the realization of the elite’s objectives.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2fe4aca8-6871-4759-8358-e8705be0df05
- author
- Gulsunar, Emrah LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-08
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- European Review of Economic History
- volume
- 28
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 25 pages
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85201059688
- ISSN
- 1361-4916
- DOI
- 10.1093/ereh/heae005
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2fe4aca8-6871-4759-8358-e8705be0df05
- date added to LUP
- 2024-09-09 13:11:06
- date last changed
- 2024-09-09 13:12:23
@article{2fe4aca8-6871-4759-8358-e8705be0df05, abstract = {{<p>This study explores why the ruling elite in 18th-century Britain not only allowed but actively supported industrialization. Economic rents, political power, and international competition are commonly cited as the reasons, but these explanations lack empirical evidence. By conducting a text analysis of parliamentary legislation and debates on the cotton industry, this study demonstrates that the ruling elite was primarily motivated by keeping unemployment low and sustaining the British economy’s international competitiveness. A favorable political system facilitated the realization of the elite’s objectives.</p>}}, author = {{Gulsunar, Emrah}}, issn = {{1361-4916}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{335--359}}, publisher = {{Oxford University Press}}, series = {{European Review of Economic History}}, title = {{To block or not : why the British ruling elite enabled the Industrial Revolution during the 18th century}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ereh/heae005}}, doi = {{10.1093/ereh/heae005}}, volume = {{28}}, year = {{2024}}, }