Industrial Revolution
transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States, in the 18th-19th centuries
Episodes
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#5648: Before the Break: How Rest Became a RightThe work break wasn't handed down on a tablet—it was invented in a 1915 munitions factory by a physiologist who threatened to arrest the manager. -
#5636: Before the 9-to-5: Working Hours in 1700s EnglandSaint Monday, seasonal building sites, and a scholarly brawl over whether anyone worked 270 days a year before factories existed. -
#5562: What "Heavy Industry" Actually MeansIt's not about weight — it's about capital intensity and cycles. Why the heavy/light split is younger than the factories it describes. -
#5340: The Rise and Fall of the AristocracyAristocracy meant rule by the best—a legal class, not just wealth. Why did the word vanish into "the one percent"? -
#5552: Why Ireland and Israel Feel Poorer Than Their GDP SaysIreland ranks 2nd in the world by GDP per capita. Israel's prices rank 5th highest. Neither number tells you how wealthy life actually feels. -
#5333: How Screws Conquered the WorldThe screw spent 2,000 years as a machine before it held anything together. Here's how it became the hardware aisle we know.