Commentary of The Rise of Great Powers Episode 4: Pioneer of Industry

The fourth episode of "The Rise of Great Powers" - Pioneer of Industry (Part 2 in the UK)

Three hundred years ago, when the 18th century came, Emperor Kangxi of China was using his Wen Zhi and martial arts opened up the glory of a new dynasty, and began to take an interest in the distant West. At this time, Britain was nurturing a brand-new production method in human history, which later generations called the "Industrial Revolution." Continuous overseas expansion and colonial trade have driven the demand for goods; scientific awareness and market awareness have improved the general understanding of the British. Thanks to various combined efforts, Britain became the world's first industrialized country, created a far-reaching liberal economic model, and established a global "empire on which the sun never sets." From the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century, Leading the development of the world. So, why did the pioneer of industry appear in Britain? What does the rapid industrialization process mean for this island country?

Episode 4: Pioneer of Industry

This is a small coastal town in northwest England. Its name is Greenock. In 1736, the father of the industrial revolution and the inventor of the universal steam engine invented The inventor, Mr. James Watt, was born here. Today, the city is beautiful and peaceful, with many beautiful yachts moored in the harbor, few cars on the streets, and people living a leisurely and peaceful life.

However, about three hundred years ago, this was a completely different scene. Greenock's location at the seaside was very important due to its proximity to the city of Glasgow, the tobacco center of Europe. Large sailing ships come and go in the port, cargo carriages rush noisily in the city, and businessmen smoke and talk in taverns. Watt's grandfather and father were two of the more successful businessmen. They were engaged in the most prosperous tobacco trade in Greenock.

In Britain before the industrial revolution, there were many families like the Watt family. Under the influence of Protestant ideas, they began to work hard to create wealth and pursue profits. They wanted to communicate with God through practical achievements and prove that they were God. of voters. In their own words, "making money is the main thing in life."

If you expand your horizons further, you will find that Watt's fathers were between Greenock and Virginia in the United States. The trade carried out is only a small part of Britain's global trade. A statistic from 1686 showed that nearly half of the British ships at that time were engaged in American or Indian trade. This was a business that made all countries jealous at that time.

Andrew Porter, professor at Royal College London, UK

I think the "Glorious Revolution" brought about political stability, and its most important result is that ordinary citizens feel that they have a A government you can trust. Because they have a favorable opinion of the government, citizens are willing to pay taxes to support the government. They preferred to bear the necessary taxes to support the country's foreign wars, especially those against France and Spain in the early 18th century.

In 1763, after the Seven Years' War between Britain and France, Britain temporarily moved away France, which was blocking its way, and Spain, which was following France. A British historian commented: "From the end of the war, it no longer mattered whether Britain was more important or less important than the countries around it. Because Britain was no longer just a European power, no longer just a German, Russian or French power. Rival."

For the first time in history, Britain saw itself as a global power.

Richard Harding, Professor at the University of Westminster, UK

The Seven Years' War between Britain and France had a huge impact on Britain's status. This was the first naval battle and had a decisive effect on Europe's diplomatic landscape. Spain and France could no longer ignore the power of Britain. If they declared war on Britain, they would lose important territories.

Colonial expansion and the maturation of overseas markets have increased the demand for various commodities, and the production capacity supported by handicraft workshops has become stretched. In order to withstand this test, almost the whole of Britain was mobilized. A British cotton spinner got this message from his manager in London: "No matter how much plain weave you can produce, we want the best." "You have to find ways to invent, and you have a lot to do in industry. …”

The urgent demand like a black hole in the market first appeared in the textile industry, because the products of this industry are most closely related to the lives of ordinary people. In order to produce at a faster speed, the ingenuity of craftsmen was fully mobilized. New inventions were made one after another, and Britain began to approach the starting line of the "Industrial Revolution" step by step.

Michelle Hunt, professor at Birkbeck College, University of London, UK

Old-style textile production units were very small, usually based on households, with wives, children and even the husband and his family living together. Weave together. But with the advent of inventions such as the flying shuttle and the spinning jenny, the scale of production was greatly expanded, and more people could work together. In this way, the factory model emerged, laying the foundation for future factory models.

The large-scale use of machines in production greatly improved the efficiency of manual workshops and ultimately led to the birth of modern factories. However, these factories had the same limitations. Almost without exception, they chose places close to rivers as their factory sites. This was because by the beginning of the 18th century, the power source that could run the machines had been used by humans for nearly 10 years. Two thousand years of windmills and water rafts.

This reliance on the power source provided by nature severely restricts production. Therefore, whichever country can be the first to build power machines that meet the needs of industrialization will be in a leading position in the competition. What kind of opportunities will bring about the birth of that machine that can start a new era? How did the British, who were the first to step into the industrial age, prepare for this?

In fact, when the whole of Britain, and even the whole of Europe, stretched their necks, hoping for a machine that could produce infinite power, Mr. James Watt, who finally created the "Universal Steam Engine" , but are facing an unprecedented crisis.

In March 1773, Mr. Watt's partner went bankrupt, which not only caused him to lose his stable income, but also had to sell off his property to pay off his debts. The 37-year-old Watt complained: "I still have a wife and children, but I am seeing my hair stained with snow, but I don't have any fixed occupation to support them."

Yang Yu, professor of history at Nanjing University in China< /p>

In the autumn of 1773, Watt encountered another family change. His wife, who had lived with him for nine years, passed away and left him with six children. The factory he cooperated with went bankrupt again. At this time, his life reached the lowest point. A friend recommended him to work in Russia. He said: "I have so many things to do now, and I am so poor. I feel very depressed."

But Britain, this country makes Mr. Watt's frustrated hometown may let an unsuccessful businessman leave at this time, but it will not let an inventor who will bring unlimited business opportunities step out of his sight, because it is already ready to put ingenuity into practical track. various mechanisms. These mechanisms are like a huge and fine net, collecting the best talents and technologies in the world to the UK. Among them, patent protection is an important measure.

Robert Fox, Professor of History of Science at Oxford University, UK

Patents first appeared in the 16th century, but patent applications were not common in the 16th and 17th centuries. Patenting has only become common and important since the 18th century. The purpose of applying for a patent is simply to protect an invention and keep it novel. A patent gives the inventor a protection period of about 15 years. During this period, his invention is protected and no one else can copy it.

In his later years, Watt lived a very prosperous life. But the main source of Watt's wealth was not the factory that manufactured steam engines, but the invention patents for high-efficiency steam engines that were widely transferred.

The incentive mechanism for technological innovation has a profound impact on the development of the UK. Even today, when it has entered the era of knowledge economy, this country that formulated the first patent law in the world still regards technological innovation strategy as a national development strategy. strategy and ranks fourth among global high-tech product producers.

250 ??years ago, the protection and reward of intellectual property rights in the UK caused almost everyone to fall into a kind of fanatical worship of new technologies and new inventions. One British publication stated, “Engineering has done more than war and diplomacy; it has done more than churches and universities; it has done more than abstract philosophy and literature; it has done more to transform society than our laws have done… ”

In this kind of national worship, an emerging class shows the most piety, because technology and invention have the closest interest relationship with them. This class was called "factory owners" at that time, and today it is called "entrepreneurs". In 1773, it was one of them who retained Watt who wanted to go to Russia. His name was Matthew Bolton.

Yang Yu, Professor of World History, Nanjing University, China

Bolton’s Soho factory was in Birmingham. Birmingham was the center of British hardware production at that time. Bolton’s factory had more than 1,000 employees. He mainly produced small hardware and even products such as telescopes. However, Bolton was very visionary. He saw that British industry was rising and many new factories needed new power, so he decided to switch to the production of steam engines and processing machinery.

Later, when Bolton and Watt teamed up to make the first steam engine, the King of England came to visit their factory. When the king asked Bolton what he was busy with, he said: "Your Majesty, I am busy making A commodity that monarchs covet." The king asked puzzledly what it was, and Bolton replied: "It is power, your Majesty."

With this kind of foresight, Bolton tried his best to retain poverty. Depressed Watt, he wrote to Watt, saying: "I will create all necessary conditions for the completion of the engine, and we will provide engines of various specifications to the world. You need a "midwife" to relieve the burden, And introduce your baby to the world."

British biographer Jenny Ugro

Matthew Bolton and James Watt have completely different personalities. That the two came together is one of the most incredible pages in industrial history. James Watt is delicate, slow and prone to anxiety. He often gets discouraged. He would put his work aside and feel as if he was giving up completely. In sharp contrast to him, Matthew Bolton is enthusiastic, energetic, gets along well with others, and is always optimistic. When Watt said: “It’s not going to work.

Bolton would say: "Of course it will work, just try again." ”

The natural match between Bolton and Watt allowed Watt to completely eliminate his worries. However, if Watt had only a pair of skilled hands, then the universal steam engine would still not be born. Because before Watt, craftsmen had already invented it The steam engine was invented, but this type of steam engine was heavy, bulky and consumed coal, and could only be used in coal mines.

Yuan Zhengguang, a researcher at the China Association for Science and Technology

Thousands of years after the birth of modern science. Among them, human activities basically follow this pattern: production, technology, science, that is to say, production is based on experience, technology is refined in the long production process, and then science is produced in the process of improving technology. The process of doing things based on experience has led to many detours and mistakes.

Watt did not repeat the detours that humans have taken for thousands of years. In order to completely transform the old steam engine, Watt once studied hard. Mechanics, mathematics, chemistry, he has done systematic experiments and carefully calculated the thermal efficiency of the cylinder. Why did Watt use such a method that previous craftsmen would never have thought of to invent and create? Where did the understanding of this relationship come from? The century before Watt developed the steam engine was a period of scientific heyday in European history, where modern science was driven by a group of giants. The most central among these scientific giants is a well-known person, he is Isaac Newton.

Many historians believe that from the perspective of modern science, it is exactly this. Newton opened the door to the industrial revolution.

This is Newton's hometown. Legend has it that Newton was inspired by seeing the apple falling from the tree. Although, to this day, this is the largest apple on the tree. It would not be larger than an adult's fist, but it did not prevent this genius from Cambridge University from bringing about a scientific revolution in the 17th century.

In 1687, Newton published his own book. In his most famous work, "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy," Newton used mathematical methods to prove the law of universal gravitation and the three laws of motion. These four laws are considered "the greatest in the history of human wisdom." An achievement." Using these laws, Newton placed the stars, the earth, and all the forces of nature on his scale.

Michelle Hunter, professor at Birkbeck College, University of London, UK

The essence of the Newtonian system is that the earth and other celestial bodies move according to the same laws, and it can be calculated quantitatively. You can take out any part of the solar system and perform calculations based on the laws to accurately predict the position and movement of the planets. .

“We are placed in this world like a theater, and the origin and cause of each event are completely hidden from us. We have neither enough wisdom to foresee the future nor the ability to prevent those events. We are constantly hurt by unfortunate events that happen. We are hung in eternal doubt..."

This is a passage from Hume, a famous philosopher in British history. It truly describes for us the passive mentality of people at that time when they viewed the world. 3 A hundred years ago, human thoughts were still full of superstition and fear. Why does water flow to lower places? Why does the sun rise and set? These questions that seem extremely simple today were completely impossible to understand and grasp until Ai. With the emergence of Isaac Newton, mankind finally ended this state. Newton announced the advent of the scientific era through his great works. He told the world that there are laws in nature, and the laws can be understood.

< p>Newton's discovery brought unprecedented confidence to mankind. Human beings who once crawled at the feet of God finally boldly raised their heads and began to look at the world with their own rational eyes.

Oxford, England. Robert Fox, Professor of History of Science at the University

But if you have to name one (the greatest scientist), I think it should be Newton. Newton at least strengthened our belief that nothing can be done. We suspect that we live in a regular and law-governed universe. This paved the way for research in many scientific fields in the 18th and 19th centuries and even today.

Yuan Zhengguang, researcher at the China Association for Science and Technology

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After the birth of modern science represented by Newton, human society has developed rapidly. As Marx said, in less than a hundred years of bourgeois rule, the productivity created exceeded the sum of all previous history. .

The publication of "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" in 1687 won Newton great honors. Soon after, Newton was elected president of the Royal Society, the highest academic society in the UK. European intellectuals believed that God created the world, and Newton discovered the method by which God created the world.

After reading "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy", a French scholar worshiped Newton almost like a god. He inquired about the details of Newton's life from everyone in Britain: " Does he eat? Does he drink water? Does he live like a mortal? "

As a scientist, the halo on Newton's head can be said to radiate the most brilliant light. However, for Except for specialized researchers, few people know much about his weaknesses that are incompatible with the heroic figure.

Stephen Cox, Secretary General of the Royal Society

I think Isaac Newton can be said to be a very uneasy man, and many of his anecdotes prove this . He once quarreled with Robert Hooke, another famous scientist of the time, over who had come up with an idea first. There is a story that he disliked Hooke so much that he destroyed all his portraits, so today we can see four or five portraits of Newton, but not a single portrait of Hooke.

In 1727, Newton died. The United Kingdom buried him in Westminster Abbey with a grand state funeral ceremony. This has always been the cemetery of princes and nobles. Newton became the first scientist to be laid to rest here. On the day of the funeral, thousands of ordinary citizens poured into the streets to see him off; the coffin bearers were two dukes, three earls and a chancellor; in the chorus of lamentations in the church, princes, nobles, government ministers and literati The maesters bid farewell to this giant of science.

The French thinker Voltaire, who witnessed Newton's funeral, was deeply moved by it. He sighed: "When walking into Westminster Abbey, what people admire is not the tombs of kings, but the country. A monument erected to thank the greatest men who have brought glory to the country is the respect the British people have for their talents."

The whole society expresses its sincere respect for a scientist. This is a country's sincere respect for scientists. attitude is also a country’s attitude towards science.

In 1765, more than 30 years after Newton's death, a brand-new steam engine was born in the hands of Watt. The steam engine invented by Watt not only used a lot less coal than the original steam engine, but also enabled mankind to have The power to create your own, no longer controlled by nature. Later, people regarded the Watt steam engine, which solved the core problem of industrialization, as a symbol of the Industrial Revolution. Watt is also known as the "Father of the Industrial Revolution."

Paul Kennedy, a professor at Yale University in the United States

When the steam age and the industrial revolution arrived, it pushed the already leading Britain to continue to move forward, allowing this small island to later In the past few hundred years, it has further surpassed other countries.