Coal and Sugar : The Black and White Gold of Czech Industrialization (1841-1863)

This article studies the fast fossil fuel transition in the context of steam adoption in the Czech lands. I show how geographical proximity to coal brought forward the early industrialization of the Czech lands. The region’s fast transition to modern fuels fundamentally transformed the industrial landscape and laid foundations for the development of new industries. Coal, steam and sugar became the central elements, moving the Czech lands closer to the European core. Overall, this article challenges the traditional view of the economic backwardness and shows on what grounds the Czech lands became the economic powerhouse of the Habsburg Empire.