What was Cotton? Fibers, Markets and Technology in the British Industrial Revolution
Author
Styles, John
Attention
2299/21913
Abstract
The paper is divided into four sections. The first reviews recent interpretations of the British Industrial Revolution in textiles. The second evaluates the evidence for economic inducements to innovation. The third examines demand for the various ‘cottons’, a key issue ignored in the leading interpretations. In conclusion, the fourth section considers the implications of demand for our understanding of technical innovation in spinning.