HOW THE REVOLUTION SPREAD FROM BRITAIN

The Industrial Revolution may have begun in Britain, but before long, other countries were taking notice and exploring whether they could introduce new, mechanised techniques of their own. While some followed the same pattern as Britain, the ease with which other nations could import British technology varied considerably depending on the structure of their existing industries, their available natural resources and the technical skills of their workforce.

By the end of the 19th century, alternative pathways to industrial status were emerging, although some countries stuck to their traditional manufacturing. For these, industrialisation would not begin until late in the 20th century.

BELGIUM

Early 19th-century Belgium was a small nation by any measure, composed of nine provinces and gaining independence from the Netherlands only in 1830. Yet by then, Belgium had already taken its first decisive steps towards industrialisation, ahead