Until the 1980s, it was universally believed by academic historians that technological innovation was the heart of the Industrial Revolution and the key enabling technology was the invention and improvement of the steam engine.
Indtil 1980'erne antog akademiske historikere i almindelighed, at det var de teknologiske fremskridt, som var kernen i den industrielle revolution, og at udviklingen og forbedringen af dampmaskinen var den nøgleteknologi, som gjorde den mulig.