industrial revolution

[queenansarel]

Were the gains if the Industrial Revolution in England from 1780-1750 worth the pain, particularly to the working people of that country, that we caused

[Upforit]

Well, this is a very open question. I would say that we all benefited from the industrial revolution. Without this revolution, we possibly would not have the technology we all enjoy today. From a purely technical point of view, yes, the industrial revolution was a boon to all mankind. It has allowed us to live our lives more comfortably. We have devices that could not have existed had we not gone through that period of change.
I wonder, in your question, who are the �we� you are referring to? The industrial revolution was founded and developed in England, with the help of the Scots and Welsh and the Irish who all gave us many of the entrepreneurs and excellent engineers that put Britan at the forefront of this revolution. While the engineering and technological advances gave us better, quicker and easier means of production the social changes were, and still are, in my view, way behind these developments. I might add that when we talk of this �industrial� revolution, there was an agricultural revolution that happened 100 or so years before this. Tulls seed drill, for example was a revolutionary addition to agriculture. It was every bit as revolutionary as Trevethick�s steam locomotive or Watt�s �planetary� gear.
I think that while we talk of the technical advances, we should consider the social consequences. We are seeing the same thing happening today, with the advent of computers taking over the work of men. What do we do with the disenfranchised when they wish to work, but their skills are obsolete because their job is now done by machines/computers?