Before the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late eighteenth century, economies were based on agricultural production and handicrafts, using hand tools and basic machines. ... German industrialization began at a slower pace than Belgium and France; nevertheless, coal and iron production soared after the 1840s as an extensive railroad network underwent construction in the 1850s. ... Before the Industrial Revolution fertility rates were high, as was child mortality, which barred population growth. ...

• Word Count: 1625
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate

Among these false perceptions include the view that the people of Lesotho have not had modern conveniences of schools, hospitals and roads even after independence and they have migrated to their "rich" neighbor, South Africa, as a response to declining agricultural production. However, Ferguson provides evidence that most of the people of Lesotho largely derive their income from wage labor, had established modern hospital, schools and markets even during colonial times, and migrated to South Africa long before a decline in agricultural production to buy other goods as well as to pay...

• Word Count: 3546
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: Graduate

During the 1990s, literature on the international political economy was dominated by the idea of globalization. Dramatic decreases in transport costs and the rise of fast and cheap telecommunications technology have made geography less relevant and facilitated massive increases in global trade and new forms of multinational production. Whether or not such developments are good or bad is a topic of ongoing political debate. Some argue that an expanding global economy provides new opportunities for the developing world to integrate into global markets and to achieve rapid rises in living standar...

• Word Count: 7309
• Approx Pages: 29
• Grade Level: Graduate