How Did the Agricultural Revolution Lead to the Industrial Revolution in Gr
The first Green Revolution (GR) required a massive public investment in infrastructure, market development, and policy support. It lasted from 1966-1985. The second, post-GR, period lasted from 1986-1995. This period saw a massive public investment in crop genetic improvement, building on the scientific advances made in the developed world and adapting them to the developing world.
Decline in need for agricultural workers
As productivity gains make the use of land for agricultural production less efficient, the number of agricultural workers has declined. In countries with long-run data, the percentage of the labor force employed in agriculture has decreased significantly. A map shows how the share of labor in agriculture changed over the past 150 years.
Agricultural workers are not the only people displaced by the industrial revolution. Many people lost their jobs due to out-migration. As a result, the unemployment rate never fell below 12% and the labor force participation rate declined. While unemployment is not an accurate indicator of the decline in employment, the labor force participation rate reflects the number of people who are actively looking for work. In 1972, the agricultural sector only accounted for 4% of national gross income.
Rise of corporate power
The current financial crisis has rekindled concerns about the rise of corporate power in the world. Unlike the 1840s and the Progressive Era, this crisis has no precedent and may be the final triumph of the corporation. But it is not impossible for governments to exert influence over the behavior of multinational corporations.
There are many factors that influence the concentration of corporate power. The most important mechanism is business investment, which is a key determinant of consumption, employment, and future production. It is also possible for businesses to leave a country’s economy and relocate their manufacturing plants to a more competitive location, lowering their production costs. Corporate structural power tends to rise in countries that are undergoing economic globalisation. This is not true for all sectors, however.
Impact on labor
Agricultural production became a more efficient means of producing food. The use of machinery and pesticides allowed farmers to produce more per acre. The agricultural value added per worker increased with the increase in wealth. Other factors that increased the value added per acre of cropland included the adoption of new technologies, affordable inputs, and more productive practices. In addition, meat, milk, and egg production were separated from crop production, and facilities were built to house a single breed of animal for a single purpose. Agricultural productivity was improved with the use of chemical inputs, though some of these inputs were associated with negative health consequences.
Over time, farm productivity rose and the demand for labor was reduced. In the U.S., the agricultural sector began relying more on capital goods, intermediate inputs, and purchased services than on labor. This change in the way farms produce food was accompanied by an improvement in the quality of labor. This increase in the quality of labor mitigated the effect of reduced farm hours, and contributed to increased agricultural output.
