Question

“Even before factories began to dot the landscape in England and Europe, there was large-scale industrial production for an international market in the country side.” Elucidate. (5 marks)

Answer 1

Even before the industrial revolution, there was large scale industrial production. This was through the cottage industry system where individual households would run small workshops where manufactured goods would be produced. Such workshops were mainly in the countryside. Merchants would buy the products from these workshops and sell it to consumers in fairs and markets.