The Industrial Revolutions

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Chapter 71: The Automobile Oct 12, 2026

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The first practical automobiles were invented in 1886 and, for the next 20 years, such vehicles gradually spread around the world. Then, through new mass-production techniques, they would spread like wildfire – dramatically altering the physical, social, and economic landscapes of our planet like nothing before.

Chapter 70 - The Progressive Era Sep 07, 2026

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In the wake of the Panic of 1893, people across the world cried out for reform. They were tired of the corruption and inequalities that defined the Gilded Age. Over the next 20 years, major changes were seen across Europe and the Americas: expansions of democracy and technocracy alike; new business regulations; the emergence of the social welfare state; and more. “Progress” was the buzzword of the age, and it set the tone for an extraordinary new century.

Chapter 69: The New Imperialism Dec 02, 2024

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In the late 19th Century, the nature of imperialism was evolving. Driven by Realist geopolitics, capitalist forces, and racist assumptions, Westerners scrambled for power over the rest of the world. In this chapter, we will explore the impact of this transformation in China, Africa, and the empire of the United States.

History Daily: The Great Civil War Locomotive Chase Sep 30, 2024

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A guest episode from the podcast History Daily! As we discussed back in Chapter 52, the new railroads played a major role during the U.S. Civil War. About a year into that war, a band of Union spies stole a train to sabotage the Western & Atlantic Railroad, a vital supply line at the heart of the Confederacy.
Please be sure to check out History Daily. Every weekday, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history. It covers a broad mix of history, including medicine, science, technology, religion, politics, sports, and more. And it’s a more bite-size podcast than the Industrial Revolutions – each episode is about 20 minutes – making it suitable for your daily commute.
https://www.historydaily.com/

Chapter 68: Industrialization Spreads East Jun 03, 2024

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In the mid-19th Century, two eastern empires were humiliated by industrialized powers. To avoid further humiliation, they both decided to industrialize themselves. In the late 19th Century, Russia and Japan went through rapid modernization. But which of the two succeeded would shock everyone, come 1905.
In this episode, we will cover:

The emancipation of the serfs in Russia
The Witte System
Japanese proto-industrialization
The Meiji Restoration
And the Russo-Japanese War

Be sure to check out the Warlords of History Podcast as well!

Chapter 67 - The Iron Chancellor & Rise of Germany Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

The Second Industrial Revolution more or less coincided with the lifespan of the German Empire. From 1871 to 1914, the new nation adopted a fairly democratic constitution, saw massive population growth, and experienced extraordinary economic development. Along the way, they created innovative new goods and services, as well as worker protections unseen anywhere else in the world.
It was largely thanks to the leadership of the Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. But after his fall from high politics, the empire redirected its gains toward militarization. And by 1918, that program would prove to be the empire’s doom.
Support the podcast and get access to the footnotes and all bonus episodes at patreon.com/indrevpod.

Chapter 66: The Revolt of Labor Dec 04, 2023

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At the end of the 19th Century, workers throughout the world were fighting increasingly bitter, bloody battles against their capitalist bosses and the governments protecting them. In this episode, we will cover such topics as:

Worker internationalism
Paris Commune
The Great Upheaval of 1877
The Haymarket Massacre
The Homestead and Pullman strikes
The Belgian General Strike of 1893
And more!

Chapter 65: Economic Ideas (The Many Schools of Socialism) Sep 04, 2023

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During the late 19th Century, socialism fractured into numerous schools. In this episode, we explore the growing field of socialist thought, as well as its many colorful characters.
Topics in this episode include:

Edward Bellamy and his novel, Looking Backward
French Solidarism
Ferdinand Lassalle, Eduard Bernstein, and the German Social Democrats
The Fabian Society
Henry George and his treatise, Poverty and Progress
Mikhail Bakunin and anarcho-collectivism
Pyotr Kropotkin and anarcho-communism
The Pittsburg Proclamation and anarcho-syndicalism

Watch my 2022 Mill Talk here!
https://industrialrevolutionspod.com/episodes/2022/12/4/podcast-special-from-textile-workers-to-rideshare-drivers-the-never-ending-history-of-creative-destruction
Support the podcast: https://industrialrevolutionspod.com/supporters

Chapter 64: Economic Ideas (The Neoclassics) Jul 03, 2023

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Beginning in the 1870s, the Neoclassical School of Economics emerged. Borrowing the idea of marginal analysis from calculus, and applying it to the ethical theory of Utilitarianism, they revolutionized the way economics was discussed. Today, we discuss the various “Marginalists” of this school, and the impact they had on the history of economic thought.

Chapter 63: Finance and Turbulence May 01, 2023

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As industrialization drove economic growth all over the Western World, financial systems had to keep growing in complexity and value. And as they did, they continued to drive industrialization further in turn. And, then as now, they were susceptible to greedy players, bad decisions, and panic.

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