I read somewhere how the industrial revolution was a consequence of disallowing slave labour/inhumanly hard labour. The greek had invented steam powered machin

I read somewhere how the industrial revolution was a consequence of disallowing slave labour/inhumanly hard labour. The greek had invented steam powered machines, but considered them a curiosity,or a way to push open doors 'by the gods' without human labour. The industrial revolution, in that vision, happened when mines still needed a way to push the ore up, but humans didn't do it anymore for a price that made it worthwile. So there was a clear need for an alternative, and that made people look around. steam power was already known, but started to make economic sense. Hence, it got perfected.