Thought and Reflections on We Make More and Live Better

     This chapter, as the title implies, discusses the paradigm shift from the more traditional agrarian lifestyle where most people had only what they needed to survive to the more consumer-oriented modern age through the Industrial Revolution. This ultimately led to better living conditions for the working class. Many of those who were working on small farms to sustain their families entered the workforce as unskilled workers in factories. The Industrial Revolution arose as the result of a higher demand for manufactured goods, particularly in Britain. Britain had several advantages when it came to manufacturing and innovation. First, it was sitting on massive coal deposits, which could be used a relatively efficient fuel source. Secondly, due to the nation's parliamentary system as opposed to an absolute monarchy, the political climate was ideal for innovation. Britain also had a need for more material goods on a much larger scale due to its rapidly expanding middle class, which gave a profit incentive for new and efficient ways of production.