When was the factory system invented? But the factory system did not appear overnight; rather, it emerged gradually in mid-18th century Britain as inventors, entrepreneurs, and workers shifted from small-scale cottage production to centralized, machine-driven manufacturing. This question takes us back to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, a period that fundamentally reshaped how humans produce goods, organize labor, and structure daily life. Understanding when and why this transformation happened reveals not just a date on a timeline, but a turning point that laid the foundation for the modern global economy.
Introduction: What Was the Factory System?
The factory system refers to a method of manufacturing in which workers, machinery, and raw materials are brought together under one roof to produce goods on a large scale. Unlike earlier forms of production,
