Business Ethics: Economic and Social Impacts of Industrial Revolution

This essay examines the Industrial Revolution in Manchester, particularly its impact on the textile industry. Manchester's rise as "Cottonpolis" due to the flourishing cotton trade is discussed, highlighting the contributions of figures like Richard Aekwright. The essay details both positive and negative consequences, including population growth, job creation, and economic advancement, alongside overcrowding, poor living conditions, and environmental pollution from coal-powered factories. The analysis concludes that while the Industrial Revolution boosted England's economy, its social and environmental costs posed significant challenges to the well-being of laborers and the overall quality of life in Manchester.

Running head: BUSINESS ETHICS
Business Ethics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BUSINESS ETHICS
The following essay aims to discuss about the industrial revolution that took place in
Britain and specifically in Manchester regarding textiles. The reasons and impacts of this
revolution in the entire England will be discussed here in this essay. Manchester has been widely
regarded as a region where industrial revolution got a huge boost through economic growth.
The industrial revolution in Manchester has been an exceptional thing in the history of
Great Britain (Smelser, 2013). The most positive aspects of this revolution are growth of society
through its economy, development and advancement of technology and social satisfaction of
common people of the country. In the 1800s, the rise of cotton trade had been the main reason
for this trade. The city of Manchester came to be known as Cottonpolis since cotton trade had
flourished and it dominated the worldwide textile industry all the more. The owner of the first
cotton mills in Manchester was Richard Aekwright in the year 1783. There have been several
impacts, both positive and negative in Manchester due to this revolution in the textile industry
(Smelser, 2013).
It has been speculated that total population of Manchester in the year 1773 was around
22000. Much of crowd from all parts of the country came pouring into Manchester due to this
revolution (Freeman, 2013). However, legislation regarding economical growth of that region
had given the opportunity to rise in population year. Overcrowding had been one of the most
crucial factors as the impacts of textile industrial revolution (Cottrell, 2013). Jobs had been filled
up by immigrants in this region as large factory mills had been introduced in this region. The
growth in jobs had been seen in this region. In this context, it must be stated that housing was not
much available in proportion to rise of jobs in Manchester. Those cotton mills came to be run by
electric from 1785 onwards and this increased the growth of job opportunities and higher
productivity resulting in boost for economy (Cottrell, 2013).

2BUSINESS ETHICS
All products prepared in cotton mills had been initiated and British Crown took the
advantage of selling these products to their colonies like India, America and other regions. This
is how the entire business started to flourish centering Manchester. In the first half of the
nineteenth century, the total population of Manchester had almost been doubled (Hudson, 2014).
People began to live I filthy and unhygienic places. Another negative aspect of textile industry
revolution was the fact that all factories and mills were run on coal. Thus it impacted negatively
on the environment by emission of black clouds and smoke. The supply of water was not
sufficient at all (Hudson, 2014). So, it signifies that textile industry revolution in Manchester
aggravated the economy of the country but its negative impacts proved to be a barrier in
everyday life of laborers.
On a concluding note it can be stated that Textile industry revolution in Manchester was a
boon for England in terms of economic growth but its environmental impacts and overcrowding
effects had been problematic for society.

3BUSINESS ETHICS
References and Bibliography
Clapp, B. W. (2014). Environmental History of Britain since the Industrial Revolution, An.
Routledge.
Cottrell, P. L. (2013). Industrial finance, 1830-1914: the finance and organization of English
manufacturing industry. Routledge.
Freeman, C. (2013). Economics of industrial innovation. Routledge.
Hudson, P. (2014). The industrial revolution. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Mathias, P. (2013). The first industrial nation: The economic history of Britain 1700–1914.
Routledge.
Smelser, N. J. (2013). Social change in the industrial revolution: An application of theory to the
British cotton industry. Routledge.