Liberalism And British Modernization

Britain as the world’s first modern country, its cultural tradition have the "free" factors, in some degree help Britain to take ahead of the world.It is liberalism which leads Britain into industrial revolution earliest.This paper aims to investigate liberalism that this ideological trend impact on the process of the British modernization, the main focus on its promoting role in British industrialization and urbanization, through the analysis of Britain in the19th century-so called "liberal era" of the development and change, perspective on this time liberalism and the representative figure make the role of and impact on the change of economic foundation and superstructure in the process of British modernization, thus make a further thinking about the interaction between thought culture and the reality how to affect the process of social development as the enlightenment and guide.This paper mainly includes six parts:(1) introduction, mainly describes the British social situation before and after the industrial revolution took place, elaborate the agricultural and handicraft production way before the change of science and technology;(2) the first part of the text, describes the social change during industrial revolution to1832years’ British parliament reform, has analyzed the liberal factors influenced on the agricultural revolution, the process of liberalism gradually replace mercantilist in the field of handicraft workshops, and middle class and working class develop and change in British society under the influence of the French revolution, eventually led to the first parliamentary reform in19th century;(3) the second part describes the social change during1832to1867s’the second parliamentary reform, this part analysis the charter movement, radical social movement and scientific socialism movement under the influence of liberalism, the further influence results1867s’ parliamentary reform, the liberalism become lawmakers basis;(4) the third part mainly analysis the liberal factors on the British free trade and industrial economic prosperity as the huge function, this part expounds the British middle class’ and working class’ development and change of social status during1867to1884, Britain’s industrialization and urbanization also get further development in this period,1884s’ third council reform indicates the extreme liberal gradually depression;(5) the fourth part explains the relationship between liberalism and Ireland autonomy, under the influence of liberalism, the revival of the Catholic church creates the premise for Ireland party’s autonomy and Autonomous Bill coming to, although the autonomy results in failure, but its great influence on Britain’s and Ireland’s political situation go down till today;(6) epilogue, outline British social status in the end of the19th century and the rise of new liberalism, generally describes the liberalism decline and Britain’s change to imperialism.This paper is a history paper, according to the historical materialism, use historical data, the empirical study method and induction to conclude and analysis the relevant historical writings and literature systematic. This paper aims to result on further deepening the research with the help of existing achievements,thus reveals the liberalism playing the leading role in the process of modernization in Britain.