The Industrial Revolution was a massive transformation, altering the methods of production and distribution in society. It revolutionized all economic functions of society and paved the way for production without total dependence on human energy. In this article I will examine the preconditions and key factors that contributed to the Industrial Revolution. I will also discuss the impact, both economic and social, that the Industrial Revolution had on society. Furthermore, I will attempt to demonstrate that the Industrial Revolution, although it had some positive aspects, ultimately had a negative impact on a global scale, which in turn created a number of humanitarian and ecological problems that are still encountered around the world. the present day. Until the 18th century the landowning class had been the dominant class in political and social life. England was considered a relatively wealthy country and was the first nation to develop a mass consumer market to satisfy the needs of the bourgeois class. Increasing demand pressure has inspired many to look for new techniques to increase production. As an incentive to encourage the development of the arts, prizes were awarded to those who discovered new inventions. In 1760, three-quarters of workers in England were agricultural laborers (Beard, 1969: p. 4). Agricultural life during this period in England was considered good. Feudal serfs had the protection of their feudal lord, food was plentiful, and wages could be earned during the winter months by spinning, weaving, and embroidery. Virtually everything necessary for life at that time was produced without the aid of machinery. The villages were self-sufficient because they were able to produce… halves of paper… surpassed any positive technological advances that occurred. I firmly believe that the industrial revolution has set society on a path of self-destruction. To save ourselves and future generations from further harm, radical changes will have to be made to the way we produce. Works Cited Beard, C. A. (1969). The industrial revolution. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.Heilbroner, R.L. (1999). Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of Great Economic Thinkers (Rev. 7th ed. ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster,.Heilbroner, R.L. (2008). In Milberg WS,1957- (ed.), The creation of economic society / (12th ed. ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall,.More, C. (2000). Understanding the industrial revolution. London, GBR: Routledge.Weinstein, M. (9 June 2011). Lecture notes – Industrial revolution