Industrial Revolution change Western European society Essay

Industrial Revolution change Western European society - Essay Example As one of the western European countries, Germany was irreversibly affected by the industrial revolution. Economically, during the 1830s and 1840s, Germany underwent great changes as far as transport is concerned, in that several railway lines were built to transport goods from the industries (Henderson, 2013, pp. 18). For example, the industrial revolution enabled Germany to build the Berlin-Baghdad railroad which allowed the Germans to have more economic influence on the Ottoman Empire (Henderson, 2013, pp. 109, 157). In fact, Germany was the second fastest builder of railways on the continent after Belgium. As a result, Germany gained a lot economically in terms of full utilization of natural resources in the country. Raw materials and finished products alike could easily be transported to previously inaccessible markets. There was an increase in the number of towns around Germany as a result of the railway lines (Henderson, 2013, pp. 18-19). The industrialization period in Germany also led to an increase in employment opportunities. According to Henderson (2013, pp. 21) about a third of the population in Germany was employed in factories while the remaining were mostly farmers. For example, the coal mines employed approximately 1400 people by 1900 while producing around 280,000 tons of coal (Henderson, 2013, pp. 21-22). Germany witnessed rapid population growth as a result of the industrialization process. According to Henderson (2013, pp.22), the period between 1815 and 1850 saw Germany’s population rise by 10 million. Germany’s population was second to Russia’s, meaning that there was more increased manpower to work in the industries and in the production of raw materials. In addition, what is the upsurge in population meant is that there were more people to consume the finished products locally, thus boosting the German economy. In addition to the traditional textile industry that enabled Germany to