Question
To what extent did industrialization in two countries rely upon developments in transportation?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will consider the merits of the concept that industrialization relied upon developments in transportation. While the focus of the response must be within the timeframe of this topic, the periods under discussion need not be contemporaneous with each other and the two countries chosen may or may not be from the same region. Candidates may offer an analysis of the overall importance of transportation in relation to the pace of industrialization and weigh it against other factors. The chosen countries may be addressed separately or a thematic approach may be adopted to consider the merits, or otherwise, of the concept. Factors that may be considered could range from the construction of roads, railways and canals to facilitate the transportation of raw materials and finished products as well as the distribution of goods by air or by sea. Alternatively, other factors such as the supply of labour, availability of resources and technological developments, may be considered of greater or lesser importance.
Question
Discuss the impact of urbanization on two industrialized states.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of how urbanization affected two industrialized states. While the focus of the response must be within the timeframe of this topic, the two states chosen need not be contemporaneous with each other and they may or may not be chosen from the same region. The period of urbanization to be discussed may vary in length according to the examples chosen as it may have been achieved relatively quickly or taken place over an extended period of time. Factors to be considered may include the growth of local and national government, in order to address a range of needs, including better sanitation and housing (to prevent the spread of epidemics), the provision of transportation links between cities, the need to find ways to address congestion and pollution and how to finance such projects. Candidates may also discuss the impact of urbanization on the growth of democracy and the spread of political ideologies, along with the breakdown of traditionally deferential societies. Each industrialized state may be considered separately or a thematic approach adopted to compare the impact on each state.
Question
“Industrialization was entirely the result of technological development.” Discuss with reference to two countries, each from a different region.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will consider the merits or otherwise of the hypothesis that technological development was the sole cause of industrialization. While the focus of the response must be within the timeframe of this topic, the industrialization of the two selected countries does not need to be contemporaneous. However, the two countries must be from different regions. Candidates must address the role of technological development and consider the ways in which it contributed to industrialization. Candidates may also consider other factors that may or may not have contributed to, or facilitated industrialization, for example the imposition of industrialization by a government, using pre-existing technologies, in order to become more competitive or to meet internal and/or external challenges. Each country may be considered separately or a thematic approach may be used where candidates wish to compare the relative importance of technological development for each country.
Question
Evaluate the social and political impact of industrialization in one country.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will make an appraisal of the social and political impact of industrialization in one country. While both the social and political implications of industrialization must be dealt with in the response, the treatment of each does not necessarily have to be equal. Candidates may choose to deal with social and political implications separately and possibly conclude that the impact of one or other was more significant. Alternatively, candidates may deal with the question thematically and gauge how individual issues, for example the migration from countryside and the proliferation of factories had a social and/or political impact. There may also be an attempt to deal with the issues chronologically, with candidates possibly suggesting that the social impact of industrialization was a contributory factor to political change.