Addressing the question of why the Industrial Revolution occurred first in England, Rick Szostak demonstrates the crucial role played by the development of a nation-wide network of land and water transport. He rejects revisionist arguments that downplay the significance of transportation to the...

Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- INTRODUCTION -- The importance, role and function of the state: The cases of Great Britain and China -- HISTORIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION: TRADITIONAL VIEWS AND ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES -- The persistence of the traditional view: Britain as an...