Frontmatter -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- I. Wages from 1860 to I945 -- II. Labor Productivity -- III. Real Wages and the Standard of Living -- IV. Through Two World Wars -- V. Wage Differentials -- VI. Regional Differences -- VII. The Role of Trade Unionism -- VIII. Conclusion --...

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...