Was the Industrial Revolution the most important event in human history? Dan Snow is joined by economist and journalist Duncan Weldon to explore why exactly the industrial revolution started on the soggy archipelago of Britain and the impact of its entrepreneurs, politics, and empire had on the country and the rest of the world across the 18th and 19th centuries. They trace a story of ambition and invention—but also upheaval, inequality and consequences and explain what happened and why it still matters. 00:00 - Introduction 01:24 - The Malthusian Trap: Life Before Industry 10:20 - Why Did The Revolution Start In Britain? 19:20 - Inventors, Steam Engines & Factories 27:08 - How Industry Forged The British Empire 28:46 - Winners & Losers: The Human Cost of Progress 35:45 - How The Revolution Conquered The World 39:51 - Are We Still In The Industrial Revolution? Produced by Mariana Des Forges and McKenna Fernandez, edited by Matthew Wilson & the channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. You can find more Dan Snow's History Hit on the audio podcast here: https://podfollow.com/dan-snows-history-hit/view Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #DanSnowsHistoryHit #HistoryPodcast #IndustrialRevolution