▶ Your Answer :
Both the reading and the lecturer are
discussing the factors that contribute to the initiation of the Industrial
Revolution. While the reading suggests three possible reasons, the lecturer
casts doubt on these.
To
begin with, the reading states the Great Britain encourages the wealthy to get
involved in industry by guaranteeing to own their property and various resources
with effective property rights. In contrast, the professor insists the property
right was not the key factor for the start of revolution by taking an example
of the Netherlands, who had similar property right as the Great Britain. She
instead suggests resources, maintaining social infrastructures were more
important ones.
Second, the reading mentions decline of the
transportation cost as well as advances of transportation infrastructure and
services maintain trade. The listening, however, is highly skeptical of this
point that although transportation fee had been decreased, other cost such as
tax or service fee increased. This increase cancelled out the positive effects
of decrease in transportation cost.
Lastly, the reading persists the new
technology, especially steam engine and power as the most essential factor. The
lecturer disagrees with the reading that new technology was only the minor
cause of the Industrial Revolution. She instead suggests coal as the greatest
contributor by comparing the amount of coal used in the Great Britain with
other European countries during that period. |