Eighteenth Century English Merchant Class

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how eighteenth century English experienced a dramatic change in its culture and their economy. As the boundaries of the United Kingdom expanded world over, its interaction with several other cultures increased. The paper shows that because of this increased interaction with other cultures, the British culture itself went through a cultural change. In addition to this, several developments made in the areas of science and technology led towards an industrial revolution in England. The paper discusses how, as a result of the industrial revolution, the merchant class emerged as one of the most influential and authoritative group. Considering the enormous growth potential in the industrial sector, the English society adopted a purely mercantilist approach towards trade and commerce. The paper shows that with the increase in industrial developments in the region, the rural population of the country started to shift to the urban areas and thus the overall societal structure of England was changed.

From the Paper:

"All these developments made a far-reaching impact on the British culture. The consequences of the Industrial Revolution not only brought a change in population but also led to a drastic change in many societal aspects. It totally changed the utilization of labor in the British economy, the family structure, the economic system, the educational system and most importantly the individual's life style. The merchant class of England was the mostly affected group in this regard, as it composed of a considerable number of those people who previously belonged to the rural population. These individuals later totally changed their way of living, which was obviously a result of their exposure to the urban culture, increase in their income and changes in the society because of industrial revolution."

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