Richard Arkwright is best remembered for what contribution to the Industrial Revolution?

Richard Arkwright wasn't just an inventor; he was a brilliant organizer. The Industrial Revolution was all about new machines, but someone had to figure out how to use them effectively. While he did improve the carding machine, which prepared cotton for spinning, his real genius was in creating the factory system. Before Arkwright, textile production was a cottage industry, with people working from home. Arkwright brought everything under one roof, powered by water or steam. He designed factories for maximum efficiency, organizing workers and machines in a way that dramatically increased output. This was a huge shift. Others focused on inventing specific machines, but Arkwright focused on the bigger picture: how to structure production itself. So, while he contributed to textile machinery, he is best remembered for efficiently running factories and pioneering the factory system, which became the model for industrial production. Steam power was improved by James Watt, and cutting hair is just a distractor!