Rethinking the Industrial Revolution

Michael Andrew Žmolek, Ph.D. (2009, York University) teaches World History and International Studies at the University of Iowa, having previously taught at the University of Dubuque. His published articles explore environmental problems, development issues and the origin of capitalism.

"[...] the effort of reading through this tome has been worthwhile. An attempt to apply the Brenner thesis to the development of capitalist industry the work is in fact an impressively erudite and up-to-date Marxist review of English economic and political history from the 14th to the 19th century. [...] the author's analysis is based on an impressive and up-to-date bibliography." – Henry Heller, The University of Manitoba,/i>, in: The Free Library"It should be said [...] that Žmolek's book is a superb read and is a remarkable piece of scholarship. He has a unparallelled grasp of the material, both in terms of the historical record and his understanding of contemporary analyses of the subject under discussion. This book will undoubtedly be debated and studied for many years." - Resolute Reader

• AcknowledgmentsForewordIntroductionPART I: ENGLAND TRANSFORMED: MANUFACTURING AND AGRARIAN CAPITALISM, 1348–17831. The Pre-History of Industry2. Parliament and Revolution3. Agrarian Capitalism: The Key to Britain’s Rise to Power4. An Empire in Crisis5. Harvesting the Agrarian RevolutionPART II: ‘SUCH MACHINES … AS CANNOT ERR’: CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE MAKING OF INDUSTRIAL ENGLAND, 1700–18006. Technology and History7. The Social Origins of the Factory8. Factories and Machinery9. Capital and IndustryPART III: CUSTOM’S LAST STAND: THE RISE AND FALL OF ARTISAN-LED RESISTANCE TO CAPITALISM IN ENGLAND, 1783–184810. Custom and Law11. Rebellion and Reaction12. Class and the State13. Reform and the Oligarchy14. Chartists and LiberalsConclusionEpilogueBibliographyIndex