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The Growth of Communication:

An Idea Heard Around the World

As the importance of trade began to echo throughout the West and, later, into the Eastern world, the influence of communication between countries, and within countries, flourished. The technological advances that occurred within Europe during the Industrial Revolution now impacted every aspect of the marketplace, including the other countries  that Europe came in contact with, particularly, those East of them. The industrious attitude, born in Great Britain, spread throughout continental Europe and, subsequently, North America as well. To create this dynamic system of buying and selling, both, raw and manufactured goods on a grand scale, technological advances had to ensue.

During the nineteenth century, the World Economy was established as a way of defining the behavior of business ethics that was conducted between separate countries. With the Industrial Revolution and the shift in focus from rural to urban to international life, came a turning point in the way human history would play out from that moment on. It became obvious near the ending of the nineteenth century that the countries that had taken part in industrialization were ahead of those countries that did not participate. There proved to be a link between growth of production and growth of power.

With factories in full swing and a trade system set in place, information needed to be transported more quickly than ever before. International contact expanded. As McKay puts it, “Commerce between nations has always stimulated economic development” (McKay, 783). Through the use of ships, railroads, and then the invention of steam, “international trade grew as transportation systems improved” (McKay, 783). With the creation of a steam run engine, production of goods became quicker, and European life seemed to reflect this increased pace as well.

As new systems of communication came about, the flow of goods across the globe was an easier feat. Not until the innovative electromagnetic telegraph was introduced did communication reach rapid speed. Financial centers around the world were able to ‘talk’ within minutes. The development of the telegraph in the 1840’s “permitted rapid long-distance communications for the first time in history” (McKay, 784). Governments took notice and decided to invest in the building of telegraph systems.

With underwater cables “to tie the world market together”, the electromagnetic telegraph revolutionized how nations ‘spoke’ to one another. It brought production and transportation to the forefront of every nations’ mind; it also expanded the need for technology and broadened humanity’s intelligence thus far. Making way for more achievements, the successes in communication during and after the Industrial Revolution widen the horizon for possible trade. It opened up routes and mouths in conversation.