Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id OAA26995 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 29 May 2000 14:25:20 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745881@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: The Industrial Evolution Date: Mon, 29 May 2000 14:23:27 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Yes, I saw this programme as well, and it does look remarkably interesting
(in part because it seems to be the kind of exercise that Chuck says he
does, although I don't see a sociobiologist sitting around the table, so I
guess ultimate truth won't be achieved :-) !)
The one factor they mentioned, but underplayed, was the importance of the
presence of journalists at The Rocket's maiden journey. One of the
advantages that technologies of the industrial revolution had was a
widespread means of disseminating such inventions across a country, and
across nations. And, of course, the two things sustained each other, as
railroads and steamships allowed news (and journalists) to spread more
rapidly around the world, and printing technology allowed increased
production of news, which created more demand for news, which helped sustain
the railways (in the UK certainly) and so on.
The programme offered good reasons why China and Japan weren't good sites
for the industrial revolution, and in both cases, the lack of established
journalism also played a part, as information about the technology and
culture of these eastern nations remained very isolated until later in the
19th century.
Very interesting point about Japan's rejection of the wheel, which suggests
that technologies' utility can be culturally specific.
For our non-British colleagues, the series is called 'The Day the World Took
Off', and I believe there's a book of the series, so you can read about
exactly why everything that happened after 1830 was all Britain's fault!
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Robin Faichney
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Monday, May 29, 2000 12:37 pm
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: The Industrial Evolution
>
> Watched a programme on Channel 4 last night, first of a series of 5 or 6
> on the industrial revolution, and why it took off where and when it did.
> The prog makers have gotten together 5 academic specialists in relevant
> areas,
> and apparently they're going to reach back to 10,000 BCE (or 10k years
> ago,
> at least), to try to find all relevant factors. Last night, though, they
> focussed on the year 1830, and Simon Schaffer, a Cambridge historian,
> discussed what was happening then, and what factors caused/allowed these
> developments. Like, the technology required to make cylinders for the new
> steam engines was very similar to what was already being used to make
> cannon. And, the widespread habitual drinking of tea, believe it or not,
> allowed cities to grow much bigger, because it has antibiotic properties,
> and the limiting factor was public health, specifically the frequency of
> epidemics which increases with population density.
>
> Anyway, I'm glad to say there was lots of talk of ideas, discoveries and
> inventions coming together, with social factors, and no mention of
> natural resource depletion, whatsoever. Of course, that might come up in
> a future programme. But I'd guess the chance of it being judged more
> significant than the combinatorial effects of discoveries, inventions and
> their communication, is zero. The exponential development of science and
> technology over the last few hundred years in the West fits that model so
> well, I have to question the motives of anyone who claims to doubt it.
>
> --
> Robin Faichney
>
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For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
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