The factor that resulted in less available farmland and more privatized farmland during the Industrial Revolution is enclosure. Enclosure refers to the process of consolidating small, open fields into larger, fenced-in fields, which restricted access to common land. This practice became prominent during the Industrial Revolution as landowners sought to increase agricultural productivity and profits. Enclosure led to the eviction of small farmers and the concentration of land ownership in the hands of a few wealthy individuals, reducing the amount of available farmland for the general population.
