6.4 - Global Economic Development

Technological Developments during the Industrial Revolution

• Impact on Transportation and Communication:

  • Railroads: Before railroads, transportation in colonies was limited to poorly maintained roads and waterways. The introduction of railroads reduced transportation costs for raw materials and opened colonial markets to manufactured goods, primarily benefiting European colonizers. For example, in India, the British built an extensive railway network to efficiently export raw materials. Cecil Rhodes planned a railroad from Cape Town to Cairo to connect British colonies, although this project was never completed.

  • Steamships: Early steamships, requiring large amounts of coal, had limited range. However, by the 1870s, improved steam engines and refrigeration technology made long-distance shipping of perishable goods like meat possible, revolutionizing global trade.

  • Telegraph: The electric telegraph, invented in 1832, transformed communication by enabling instantaneous transmission of news. By the mid-19th century, telegraph lines connected Europe with its colonies, including India, and transoceanic cables facilitated communication across continents.

Agricultural Products and Raw Materials

• Shift to Cash Crops: European imperial powers transformed subsistence farming in their colonies into cash crop agriculture. Farmers were forced to grow crops like tea, cotton, sugar, oil palms, rubber, and coffee for export rather than for local consumption, leading to food shortages and rising prices.

  • Meat Production: The demand for meat in Europe led to the development of cattle ranches in South America and sheep herding in Australia and New Zealand. Technological advances, such as refrigerated steamships, enabled the export of fresh and frozen meat across long distances.

  • Guano: In the 19th century, guano (bat and seabird excrement) became a highly valuable fertilizer, particularly in Peru and Chile. Vast quantities were mined and exported, often using indentured laborers.

• Raw Materials for Industry:

  • Cotton: Britain’s textile mills depended heavily on cotton from the American South. The Civil War disrupted this supply, leading to increased cotton production in India and Egypt. By the late 19th century, Egypt’s economy was heavily dependent on cotton exports.

  • Rubber: The demand for rubber, essential for products like tires and hoses, led to the exploitation of natural rubber sources in the Amazon and Central Africa. Indigenous people were often forced into labor under brutal conditions. The British later established rubber plantations in Southeast Asia.

  • Palm Oil: Palm oil, used for lubricating machinery and making candles, became a key cash crop in West Africa. European colonists established palm oil plantations in Southeast Asia.

  • Ivory: Ivory, sourced primarily from Africa, was highly prized for its beauty and durability. The demand for ivory fueled European colonization efforts in Africa.

  • Minerals: Valuable minerals, including silver from Mexico, copper from Chile and Africa, tin from various parts of Asia, and gold from Australia and South Africa, were extracted and exported to fuel industrialization in Europe.

  • Diamonds: Cecil Rhodes, a key figure in South Africa’s diamond industry, founded De Beers Mining Company, which dominated global diamond production. Rhodes expanded British territory in Africa, driven by his ambition to build a railroad from Cape Town to Cairo.

Global Consequences of Industrialization

• Commercial Extraction and Monocultures:

  • Environmental Impact: The focus on cash crops led to monocultures, reducing agricultural diversity and depleting soil fertility. Deforestation for farming further harmed biodiversity and contributed to climate change.

  • Economic Dependency: Many former colonies remain dependent on cash crops due to the long-term damage caused by monocultures. This dependency has forced them to import basic agricultural goods to meet local food needs.

• Economic and Social Implications:

  • Growth of Global Trade: Industrialization and new technologies facilitated global trade, allowing industrialized nations to grow wealthier and establish stock exchanges for investment.

  • Labor Exploitation: Indigenous and local populations in colonies were often exploited for labor, receiving low wages and poor working conditions, while the profits benefited European colonizers.