The Cotton Industry

The cotton industry has a unique and central position in the development of modern industry. Many of the most significant developments in the industrial revolution took place within the industry. The first important commodity to be traded on a global basis, cotton provides an early example of an industry from the developed, western economies being overtaken by competitors from less developed countries. This collection brings together a range of key sources on the cotton industry. Although it focuses on a critical period from the late 19th to the early 20th century, developments during this period are placed in a broader historical context. In particular the set focuses on: the impact of the technological revolution; the role of individual entrepreneurs in shaping the industry; and the impact of international competition in transforming an industry which had been dominated by the UK. This set includes eight books reprinted in their entirety, and a collection of extracts and articles, newly typeset. It is selected and introduced by Stanley Chapman, a Business and Economics historian who is currently editor of the journal "Textile History".