1. The first precondition of the Industrial Revolution was a sudden increase in population. The demographic shift demanded an increase in both product and manufactured goods. The product became available more readily as land was discovered in the New World but the processing of these products was slow behind the supply. The agricultural revolution, our second precondition, sought to speed the harvesting and reaping of agricultural products through technological advancement. The last precondition was the mode of national and international people and product transport. The rise of the steamboat and railroads provided people to ship themselves or products quickly to any other part of the world. Perishable goods were able to travel much further distances than ever before.
2. The European middle classes' efficiency can largely be attributed to the level of opportunity and social mobility offered to them during that time. The quantity of product and the accessibility of transport made it easy to find careers, especially in an industrial setting. The social structures of many countries (which functioned democratically and constitutionally) worked to break down social barriers and offer equal rights and opportunities to all people.
3. The Cult of Domesticity refers to the ideology of women in a strict domestic service while men are to serve the household through domestic provision. 'Manliness' in this cultural context meant a family gentleman, but by the mid 19th century, it was defined by physical prowess. This shift gave opportunities for women to seek activities outside their home, and perhaps more rights. Upper and upper-middle classes of 19th century Europe might be defined as a "culture of comfort". The values of this culture circulated around not lifting a finger and participating in domestic non-laborious activities. The typical victorian England Austenesque picture of the family writing letters endlessly over strite relationships to the music of their siblings' recently learned flute tunes only ideally demonstrates the values of this new culture.
4. John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, political, economic, and social theorist. He wrote extensively on social equality, political liberty, and utilitarianism. He wrote against those who threaten social justice and equality, and despotic tyrants. However, he does credit despotism an effective mode of government in cases of dealing with barbaric people. He notes that mass amounts of people in ignorance can lead to bad outcomes, but generally, they are in the right.
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