Towards an Industrial World Summary and Analysis

While the movement toward industrialization gains momentum, only Britain can be considered to be industrialized by 1848, Hobsbawm claims. Elsewhere, the economy is still closely tied to agriculture, which has not yet been fully capitalized.

Increases in population and improvements in science, communication and transportation, in particular the railroad, occur during this time period, as does migration. In 1830, Hobsbawm writes, this rate of change increased rapidly. Production and industry grow quickly, and industrial centers begin to emerge. Britain is especially situated to adopt these changes and grow its economy as a result.

Paradoxically, Hobsbawm says, France's economy does not keep pace. It is still too closely tied to the peasantry, a result of the reforms of the French Revolution which provided more autonomy to common people. The population of France does not shoot upwards as in...