What underpinned hobsbawms greatness as a historian was an intellectual independence of mind albeit one framed by marxism and a vast, even encyclopaedic, knowledge of european and world history allied to a rare ability to synthesise meaningfully. Reconstructing the industrial revolution lse research online. Eric hobsbawm brought to life lost voices and placed. In the age of empire, hobsbawm again began with economics, noting the crisis of profitability underpinning the long depression in. Yet, breakthrough technologies are very often generic. In industry and empire, hobsbawm explores the origin and dramatic course. Eric hobsbawm this is a study of the industrial revolution by historian eric hobsbawm, where industry and the empire are described from a marxist point of view. In his industry and empire 1987, hobsbawm emphasised the origin of the industrial revolution and how it engendered the rise of proletariat. The age of empire shifts emphasis to the third term of the originating formula. From 1750 to the present day paperback 29 apr 1999. His death on october 1, 2012, was prominently reported on the main british tv news channels and in the london newspapers.
But industrial leadership does not automatically translate into future industrial leadership. Hobsbawm, a british marxist historian, views the british industrial revolution as unique, if only because there were no competing industrialized economies. Industry and empire eric hobsbawm 412 pages, including index published in 1999 after the switch from a huntergatherer to an afgricultural lifestyle, the industrial revolution has to be the most important development in the history of humankind. Industry, the working class the bourgeois world 14 science, religion, ideology 15 the arts 16 conclusion. Industry and empire by ej hobsbawm and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Eric hobsbawm was born into a jewish family in 1927 to an austrian mother british father. His panoramic studies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, stretching from the french revolution to the fall of soviet communism, have informed the historical. In industry and empire, hobsbawm explores the origin and dramatic course of the industrial revolution over two hundred and fifty years and its influence on social and political institutions. Furthermore, how the industrial revolution affects social and political matters, and the division of labor. Egypt was both a living museum, suitable for cultural selfimprovement, and a sophisticated community of the cosmopolitan european middle class, with whom communication was easily possible by means of the.
Chinese empire was forced in 183942 to open its frontiers to western. Educated in vienna, berlin, london and cambridge, he became a fellow of the british academy and has been showered with academic honours from around the world. The age of revolution was driven, hobsbawm argued, by modernitys dual revolutions, a french political revolution. Eric hobsbawm was not only an eminent scholar but also a public intellectual, speaking out on issues of the dayopposing the vietnam war and its humanitarian successors, addressing teachins and labormovement events. When hitler came into power in 1933, they moved to england. For hobsbawm, the industrial revolution is not merely an acceleration of economic growth, but an acceleration of general growth because of, and through, economic and social transformation6. Eric hobsbawm became britains most respected historian.
Many of the traditions which we think of as very ancient in their origins were not in fact sanctioned by long usage over the centuries, but were invented comparatively recently. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Hobsbawms influence on my alma mater, birkbeck, was immense. I also note that his famous industry and empire book does not mention that one factor in the 1847 irish famine disaster was continued exports of food by english landlords, something that a radical. Review the full course description and key learning outcomes and create an account and. His bestknown works include his trilogy about what he called the long 19th century the age of. Hobsbawm starts by addressing the contradiction between the popular view in the late 1880s that trade was contracting and economic growth was slowing and the contemporary view that production and trade were in fact growing in that period. Premier historian eric hobsbawm s brilliant study of the industrial revolution, which sold more than a quarter of a million copies in its original edition, is now back in print, updated for a new generation.
Premier historian eric hobsbawms brilliant study of the industrial revolution, which sold more than a quarter of a million copies in its original edition, is now back in print, updated for a new generation. How did the bourgeoisies way of life evolve, especially in regard to the emancipation of women. Historian eric hobsbawm is possibly the foremost chronicler of the modern age. Hobsbawm organized his long nineteenth century into three distinct ages, each addressed in its own book. He is the author of the age of revolution, the age of capital, the age of empire, and the age of extremes, and the new press has published his books on history, uncommon people, industry and empire, bandits, on the edge of the new century, revolutionaries, his memoir interesting times, on empire, and fractured times. Pdf the economic rise and fall of the great powers. His 19thcentury series on industry and empire and his bestselling. Eric john ernest hobsbawm ch frsl fba was a british historian of the rise of industrial. Few historians have done more to change the way we see the history of modern times than eric hobsbawm. Eric john ernest hobsbawm, british historian born june 9, 1917, alexandria, egyptdied oct. Eric hobsbawm wrote the first edition of this book in 1968, but then returned to revise it in 1999, adding new material on developments since the first edition and revising and supplementing some of the original material. Following his parents death, he moved to germany to live with his aunt who adopted him and his sister. Eric hobsbawm 19172012 perspectives on history aha. Eric john ernest hobsbawm british historian britannica.
He taught until retirement at birkbeck college, university of london, and. First, the industrial revolution is not merely an acceleration of economic. Eric hobsbawm wrote the test of a historians life is whether he or she can ask and answer questions, especially what if questions, about the passionate significance, to themselves and the world, as though they were journalists reporting things long past and yet, not as a stranger but as one deeply involved. Also by eric hobsbawm the age of revolution 17891848. Ideologically a lifelong marxist, his sociopolitical convictions influenced the character of his work. The age of empire to be done in the ottoman empire and the middle east, and austria had long been central europes business window on the orient. Eric hobsbawm was born in 1917 in alexandria, egypt. Eric hobsbawm brought to life lost voices and placed reality centre stage.
How to change the world 72 however, more seriously, there was the. The age of empire 18751914 the age of extremes 19141991 labouring men industry and empire bandits revolutionaries worlds of labour nations and nationalism since 1780 on history uncommon people the new century. Hobsbawm toed the party line over the nazisoviet pact on the basis that the war was a capitalist war since britain seemed ready to go to war with finland against the soviet union, rather than. Eric hobsbawms 20th century selfcensorship eric hobsbawm was a famous marxist historian and member of the communist party who died in 2012. The industrial revolution continues to be analysed by economic historians deploying the. How to change the world online university of the left. Eric hobsbawm massproducing traditions europe, 18701914 0 nce we areaware how commonly traditions are invented, it can. This book explores examples of this process of invention the creation of welsh and scottish national culture. At the end of the 18th century, the industrial revolution occurred in britain, the political. From 1750 to the present day 2rev ed by hobsbawm, e j isbn. This is a study of the industrial revolution by historian eric hobsbawm, where industry and. Hobsbawm, 9780140257885, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
1450 573 1495 1120 1291 835 936 162 1453 385 1093 145 1207 1271 92 592 297 1470 1235 809 718 236 1522 1430 478 207 275 599 601 744 407 116 421 1003