Analysis of the Reasons Why the Ancient Chinese Water-propelled Large Spinning Wheel Could Not Give Birth to the “Chinese-style Industrial Revolution”

Abstract

China had already invented the water-propelled large spinning wheel as early as the Yuan Dynasty, but it is not until 16th century that Arkwright had invented water-propelled spinning frame in the United Kingdom. The difference between the two is that Chinese water-propelled large spinning wheel is more than 300 years ahead of Britain’s invention, but Chinese water-propelled large spinning wheel didn’t trigger an industrial revolution like Britain. Through inspection of Chinese water rights system and cotton yarn production system, this article believed that among the factors that influenced the development of the water-propelled large wheel in ancient Chinese society, not only the technical factors played an important role, but also the water rights system for heavy shipping, irrigation and the cotton yarn production system based on rural sideline industries seriously obstructed the use of the water-propelled large wheel and emergence the industrial revolution in China.