Excerpt: Myth of the Month 26: The Industrial Revolution -- pt. 2: Spinning the National Yarn

About this episode

The episode explores the origins and implications of the Industrial Revolution myth in British history and politics.

For patrons only for 1 year: We trace how the notion of the “industrial revolution” – originally a foreign, Continental idea rooted in German dialectical history – entered into British political discourse and then into sacred national mythology, enshrined by the tourism industry and by Thatcherite politics. Then we examine the evolving debate over whether the alleged revolution was a good or a bad thing—or whether such an event happened at all, considering its narrow limitations in time, space, and scope. Finally, we weigh carefully the arguments that have been advanced in defense of the traditional myth, including the explosive growth of British cities, the wide divergence between Europe and the rest of the world, and the appearance of so-called “proto-industrialization” in the organization of labor before the rise of machines. Please sign up as a patron to hear the entire lecture, and all patron-only lectures: https://www.patreon.com/posts/myth-of-month-26-159215235 Alternatively, non-patrons can purchase the entire “Myths of the Month” playlist for one flat fee: https://www.patreon.com/collection/2031535?view=condensed Image: Museum of Sciene and Industry, Manchester, England…

People in this episode

Host: Samuel Biagetti

Topics covered

• Industrial Revolution
• British political discourse
• national mythology
• Thatcherite politics
• proto-industrialization
• debate over industrialization

Keywords

• Industrial Revolution
• British history
• national mythology
• Thatcherite politics
• proto-industrialization
• political discourse
• urban growth

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Museum of Science and Industry

Books & works: The Great Divergence, Myth, History, and the Industrial Revolution, Industry and Empire: An Economic History of Britain Since 1750, The Myth of a British Industrial Revolution

More episodes of Historiansplaining: A historian tells you why everything you know is wrong

• Unlocked: Italy: Nation-Building Struggles & the Entry Into World War I, 1861-1915 · June 9, 2026 · 1h 55m
• Myth of the Month 26: The Industrial Revolution -- pt. 1: Conceiving a Catastrophe · May 14, 2026 · 1h 36m
• Virginia, pt. 2 -- A Dominion on Fire, 1646-1685 · April 28, 2026 · 1h 47m
• Excerpt: Virginia, pt. 1 -- The Successful Failure, 1607-1646 · April 17, 2026 · 11 min
• Unlocked: History of United States in 100 Objects -- Beaver Fur Hat, 1590-1670 · April 11, 2026 · 51 min
• The Elizabethan Dream: How England Became a Sea Power · March 20, 2026 · 2h 7m