AP European History

Barron’s

Industrialization Shapes Europe

Nations on the Continent Followed Later

PRUSSIA: The state became a leader of a unified Germany, which rapidly industrialized with strong government leadership and some industrial leaders.

1. The Zollverein, or the Prussian-led trade union of German states, allowed them to unify their efforts at industrialization
2. Friedrich List was a writer and philosopher who believed manufacturing was the primary means of increasing people’s well-being and relieving poverty, hence it is the duty of the government to improve industry;
   1. wrote National System of Political Economy;
   2. Conceived of and advocated for the Zollverein, or German customs union, created in 1834.
3. For the first time, goods were allowed to move within German states without tariffs. Still-high protective tariffs on foreign goods (from outside the Zollverein).
4. Helped to develop growing German nationalism.
5. Fritz Harkort got ideas for machinery from Britain.
   1. Known as the “Watt of Germany,” he borrowed materials and hired foreign workers to build steam engines in Germany.
   2. Roads too bad to deliver them fully assembled.

SOUTHERN AND EASTERN EUROPE: A combination of factors, including: lack of resources, feudal traditions, geography, the persistence of serfdom in some areas, and lack of government sponsorship accounted for eastern and southern Europe’s lag in industrial development.