CHAPTER 174: CHAPTER 172: INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM

In the steam age, industrial production was not as diverse as it was in the original world before Perfikot crossed over.

The main function of the steam engine invention was to upgrade early handicraft workshops into mechanical factories, turning relatively primitive handicraft production into true industrial production.

The industry most affected was undoubtedly the textile industry. Just as the industrial revolution in the original world began with the enclosure movement and steam-powered looms, industrialization in the Victor Empire also began with the textile industry.

The demand for machinery brought about by industrialization also gave rise to the machinery manufacturing industry, promoting a virtuous cycle of industrial development.

Handicraft workshops turned into factories, resulting in a leap in production capacity, with more goods available in the market stimulating consumption. The increasing market demand also drove factories to expand their capacity continuously, requiring more advanced machines, whose continuous improvements further enhanced factory productivity.

In this repeated cycle, by capitalizing on its early-mover advantage, Victory quickly became the most industrially advanced country in the old world.

At the same time, the booming market demand spurred the development of related industries and theoretical research, leading to the differentiation and systematization of related disciplines, gradually forming a modern scientific system.

Thus, the industrial revolution was not just about the development of industry and productivity but the development of society as a whole.

The first industrial revolution can be said to be the most intense social transformation, with the subsequent second and third industrial revolutions also having a profound impact on the world, but not nearly reaching the intensity of the first.

After all, during the first industrial revolution, the entire world underwent a major reshuffle, tightly linking the world together for the first time.

Therefore, the industrial revolution’s occurrence was not due to the progress of a specific technology or a breakthrough; it was an inevitability after social development reached a certain level.

Even without the steam engine, the first industrial revolution would still have occurred because societal development had reached this stage.

Similarly, without sufficient societal development, even if steam engines and internal combustion engines were manufactured and forced into this world, they could not bring about social transformation.

This is why Perfikot did not pursue manufacturing internal combustion engines or generating power with large-scale projects.

Couldn’t she do it? After all, steam knights and differential engines were created, so a mere generator and an internal combustion engine were not impossible.

But what is the meaning of creating them? The answer is there is none.

Without exploration and extraction of oil, and research in related fields, the invention of the internal combustion engine would only result in it burning alcohol like early automobiles, without enough fuel.

The same goes for generators. Even if Perfikot planned to build a dam and a hydropower plant to generate sufficient electricity, even Langton, the most technologically and culturally advanced city in this world, currently has no demand for electricity. What would the power be used for?

Some things appearing ahead of time have significance, but some do not.

With this understanding, although Perfikot requested a complete industrial system to be established in the Northern Territory, she only asked for machinery manufacturing, shipbuilding, and textile industries, plus a large alchemy workshop with supporting facilities.

It may not seem like much, but considering the supporting industries, it’s quite an extensive project.

Fortunately, during this era, there’s no financial industry contributing almost nothing to society. Factories leaned toward a full industry chain, needing only one to set up the entire chain.

Take Andrew’s steel company, for example, it’s self-contained from mining to transportation, smelting, and casting, covering the entire industrial chain.

If not for technical issues in machinery manufacturing, this steel company could potentially support the machinery manufacturing industry directly.

With these pillar industries and supporting industrial chains, the industrial system in the Northern Territory could essentially be considered established.

Daily life supplies might not be perfectly provided, but the basic needs for production construction aren’t an issue.

After discussing these matters, Perfikot left McIntock’s office.

Despite seemingly few issues and uncomplicated discussion topics, Perfikot and McIntock talked for several hours, approaching noon.

As she left the Parliament building and looked at the time, nearing lunchtime, Perfikot skipped other places and had her attendants send her to the pre-booked restaurant.

As she was in Langton, Perfikot did not make a big show of it, accompanied only by a team of royal guards and a few plainclothes Imperial Guard Knights for security.

After all, this was the capital of the Empire, and Perfikot couldn’t travel with a squad of Steam Knights like she did in New Shaker City.

Being too ostentatious invites unnecessary attention.

Without revealing her identity, a team of royal guards and plain-clothed knights isn’t conspicuous in Langton.

As an empire with colonies across the globe, Victory’s capital is filled with people of noble birth.

So many that even a casual toss of a stone by Perfikot might hit three nobles.

This was actually a good thing for Perfikot. At least she could enjoy her lunch in a relatively quiet and undisturbed environment, rather than being swarmed by people trying to form connections.

Of course, as well as dining, Perfikot was waiting for two of her recruited subordinates to report on their work.

However, Robert and Oliver hadn’t arrived yet, allowing Perfikot to enjoy her lunch in peace.

In the old feudal era, due to the lack of abundant goods, Victory, like other countries in the old world, was accustomed to eating two meals a day, with a filling morning meal and a casual evening one before bed.

After all, even nobles like Perfikot had limited evening entertainment in the old feudal era, beyond watching men fight during the day and women at night.

People had to retire early as night fell, sometimes even waking for a break due to the lengthy sleep time.

In this situation, eating one filling meal a day posed no major issue because there wasn’t much to eat anyway.