Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyGlobal Spread of Industrialization

Source: Friedrich List, German economist, *The National System of Political Economy*, 1841.

"A nation which has no factories of its own is like a person who has only one arm. We must build railways, establish protective tariffs, and encourage our own manufactures, so that we may no longer be dependent on British goods."

The arguments expressed in the passage are best understood as a response to which of the following nineteenth-century processes?

  1. A
    The transition to electricity and petroleum as the primary sources of industrial power
  2. B
    The expansion of early modern mercantilist systems to secure raw materials from agricultural colonies
  3. The spread of industrial technology and methods from Great Britain to continental EuropeAnswer
  4. D
    The acquisition of direct colonial territory in Africa and Asia to secure captive markets

Answer

The spread of industrial technology and methods from Great Britain to continental Europe
The correct answer is correct because Friedrich List's proposal to build railways, enact tariffs, and foster domestic factories in Germany represents a clear attempt to adopt British industrial practices and establish an industrial base on the European continent. As Great Britain was the pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, other European nations, such as Germany and Belgium, sought to close the developmental gap by copying British technologies and protecting their infant industries.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the main argument and context
The author is a German economist writing in 1841, advocating for railways, tariffs, and factories to reduce Germany's economic dependency on British goods
Understanding the author's goals and historical context is necessary to connect the document to broader nineteenth-century developments
2
Relate the author's proposal to the global diffusion of industrialization
The proposal represents Germany's attempt to adopt the industrial methods and technologies that had made Great Britain the dominant economic power
This directly addresses the historical process of industrialization spreading from Britain to continental Europe
3
Evaluate the options to select the one that matches this process while avoiding chronological or conceptual errors
The option describing the spread of industrial technology from Great Britain to continental Europe is correct, as Germany is in continental Europe and was trying to catch up to Britain's industrial lead
The correct answer must accurately reflect the mid-nineteenth-century context of industrial diffusion without confusing it with late-nineteenth-century technologies, mercantilism, or direct colonial rule

Key Concept

The spread of industrialization from Great Britain to continental Europe and North America, and the efforts of other nations to catch up
Estimated Time:50s
Rate this question

Topics

Global Spread of Industrialization

More questions from this topic