Pre-industrial Europe

Many misconceptions about pre-industrial Europe stem from assumptions that Industrialization and progress have been linear, uniform processes worldwide.

The truth is that Europeans were just as advanced before the Industrial Revolution as they were after it. Most would argue that pre-industrial Europeans had more sophisticated craftsmanship than post-industrial peoples did.

No doubt, until the advent of the industrial revolution, nearly all Europeans had little access to the vast array of goods and technologies that we now take for granted. However, most Europeans continued to be fairly content for centuries after the widespread adoption of agriculture in terms of living standards.

The meaning of the term “Pre-industrial”

The term “Pre-industrial” is a relatively recent invention. In the late 17th century, “modern times” were often synonymous with “the Age of Enlightenment.” The word “Industrial Revolution” would not have existed in a pre-Enlightenment context.

Pre-industrial Society

There is no single definition of “pre-industrial society.” The term usually refers to a society where technology is far less advanced than industrialised societies.

Many pre-industrial societies were agricultural because they could not acquire enough food from animal husbandry.

There are also forms of agriculture that are highly mechanised and non-mechanized. Rice farming, for example, does not require much mechanisation nowadays because it does not take much for a farmer to plant and harvest rice.

However, rice farming was still a relatively labour-intensive process in the pre-industrial world. In addition, technology was limited.

One misconception is that pre-industrial Europe was less “evolved” than post-industrial peoples. This notion comes from the dominant western European view of history – a western bias – and our “advanced” perspective.

In the 19th century, conditions started to worsen for many Europeans. Until then, most people had at least some access to land, and so many were able to cultivate enough food for themselves.

Others were able to supplement their income with additional labour or barter. In the absence of industry, there were still other ways for people to remain relatively comfortable.

Pre-industrial Europe

Europe is not just limited to the geographical area we now know as “Europe.” The term “Europe” only came into popular usage in the late 18th century.

Most historians and archaeologists accept that Industrialization started much earlier in Europe than in the rest of the world. The Industrial Revolution was merely the final phase of an ongoing process all around the globe.

On a more abstract level, the term “Europe” is used for the historical landmass between two zones of Western Asia and Northern Africa. This region approximates the lands once occupied by the major cultures of Greece and Rome.

So, when talking about pre-industrial Europe, we are talking about pre-modern European civilization.

A comparison of pre-industrial Europe: Although many historians and archaeologists accept that Europe led the world in Industrialization, there is little consensus on how exactly to compare different areas of the globe in terms of development. Which countries were more “advanced” than others is still a matter of debate.

Art and Culture in the Pre-industrial World:

Before the Industrial Revolution, much of the art and culture that we take for granted in western societies were created by an elite minority – whether it was Egyptian pharaohs or Roman emperors.

The artists and sculptors generally served as courtiers or politicians who were in charge of their region’s art and culture. Most people living at the time did not have access to these luxuries, so they were largely confined to a subsistence existence.

The wealthy elites of the time spent their money on art, religion, and luxury goods. The poor made do with the essentials.

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Europe was still mostly dependent on agriculture for its food supply. However, it was a long time coming. 

There was only one coal mine per million people in 1815.

Industrial Revolution: 

The Industrial Revolution is typically understood as the advent of widespread Industrialization that began in the middle to late 18th century. However, many would argue that Industrialization started earlier in Europe – especially in Great Britain.

During the 18th century, Britain had already begun to adopt new technologies to replace manual cloth labour. In addition, farming had also begun to mechanise. While most people still depended on agriculture for their living, there was a growing sense among many elite thinkers that it was becoming increasingly inefficient.

Industrial versus agricultural output: Some historians argue that the Industrial Revolution began in the late 15th century. This is based mainly on comparing industrial output in Europe and agricultural output elsewhere. Specifically, during the 16th century, Britain had already started to produce more manufactured items than other parts of Europe.

This apparent discrepancy is usually attributed to several key factors that distinguish Britain from other parts of Europe; at this time, Britain had extensive coal mines, which provided ample fuel for new technologies.

Conclusion

Pre-industrial Europe was not necessarily a “backward” region in all respects. It was only a matter of time before Industrialization caught up with other parts of the world and allowed even more people to live comfortable lives.

The pre-industrial age is often characterised as an era in which people lived without many of the comforts we take for granted today. However, when viewed from a global historical perspective, most Europeans still lived relatively comfortable lives until the 19th century. The idea that “pre-industrial Europe” was a primitive period is more often a result of the modern Western perspective.