Colonialism et al

Railways

• defining feature of IR
• integrated markets
• accelerated industrialization
• transformed social relations

+ve socio-economic efforts

• economic integration, market expansion, low cost + time
  • integrated regional market into national economies
  • eg. USA Transcontinental Railway 1869
• demand for steel, coal, engg goods, machinery, stimulated factory production
• growth of railway towns, industrial cities, rural $\to$ urban migration
• new jobs in construction, maintenance, mining, engg, services
• newfound mobility $\to$ cultural & political integration
• access to healthcare, work, education
• spread of newspaper, ideas, literacy

-ve socio-economic effects

• served imperial interests rather than local development
  • eg. Africa - connected mineral rich interiors to coastal ports
• development concentrated along railway corridors - regional imbalance, social discrepancies
• displacement of traditional occupations - river transport, animal transport, small artisans faced challenges
• env destruction, coal + pollution, animal habitat disruption
• humans displaced, community bonds break, traditional economy disrupt

Daniel Thorner

Railways promoted commercialization, but primarily benefited colonial interests.

Railways reshaped economies, promoted industrialization, market integration, urbanization yet also became instruments of economic extraction under colonial rules.

Why England the spot for IR?

• agri revolution
  • surplus food supported population growth
  • surplus labour migrated to towns $\to$ provided industrial workforce
• availability of natural resources
  • iron, coal for steam engine, machinery
• colonial empire $\to$ provided cheap cotton, sugar, indigo & captive markets
• well developed banking & financial institutions to mobilize investment
• stable institutions $\to$ encouraged entrepreneurship, long term investment
• tech innovation $\to$ spinning jenny, power loom, james watt steam engine
• extensive network of canals, roads, railways
• entrepreneurial culture, patent laws, growing middle class

IR impact on India

• deindustrialization - Surat, Dhaka
• unemployment
• subsistence to commercial agri $\to$ famines
• drain of wealth (dadabhai naroji)
• destruction of indigenous industries
• limited industrial development
• decline of artinas communities
• rural distress
• new social classes - industrial worker
• urbanization
• railway, telegraph improved connectivity
• economic nationalism, swadeshi movement