We call the Industrial Revolution the process of change that transformed society in different aspects, mainly economic, social and demographic, but also affected the values and mentalities of the population. It was not a homogeneous process; it did not take place in all countries at the same time, nor did it develop in them in the same way. Its effects impacted society and its structures to such an extent that the preceding historical period is known as the Ancien Régime, and the one born with the revolution is called the Liberal Regime.
The Industrial Revolution emerged in England in the last third of the 18th century and spread to other European countries throughout the 19th century. Among the triggering factors that led to economic changes in England, the agricultural development known as the English Agrarian Revolution, the demographic revolution that took place in the population and the availability of goods for investment, were particularly influential.
The first countries to embrace the innovations of industrialization and experience its changes were Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and, somewhat later, Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden. Industrialization initially spread throughout northwestern Europe, with the exception of Ireland, with the Mediterranean and Eastern European countries lagging behind. Outside of Europe, the United States and Japan quickly joined this process.
Before the Industrial Revolution, the majority of the population lived in rural areas and relied on agricultural, livestock, and artisanal activities. It is estimated that around 80% to 90% of the European population lived under what are considered peasant living conditions. With the changes that occurred during this process, society ceased to be rural and peasant-based and became industrial and urban. The development of urban activities transformed them into dynamic centers and true economic drivers, attracting rural populations. Many rural dwellers migrated to the cities seeking to improve their job prospects and living conditions, thereby increasing the urban population. The increase in the population of cities was also due to the natural growth of their inhabitants, since in those years the population entered a growth dynamic known as the demographic revolution.