Industrial Revolution: Social Classes, Urban Life, and Core Causes

Class-Based Society Structure During Industrialization

During the Industrial Revolution, society was distinctly divided into three main groups:

The Upper Class

Comprising the wealthiest individuals, this class included:

• Wealthy Bourgeoisie: Obtained large profits from industrial ventures, becoming the dominant social group.
• Nobility: Received high incomes from their extensive agricultural holdings.

The Middle Class

This group represented a medium level of wealth and included:

• Civil servants, lawyers, and doctors.
• Small-scale merchants and craftspeople.
• Farmers with small agricultural holdings.

The Working Class

Living in extreme poverty, this class consisted of:

• Industrial workers who toiled in factories.
• Tenant farmers and agricultural labourers.

Life in Industrial Cities

The characteristics of these burgeoning cities underwent significant transformation:

Urban Transformation & Growth

• New buildings were constructed, and essential infrastructure was developed.
• Large, noisy, and polluting factories emerged alongside modern railway stations.
• Cities grew rapidly in size; in many cases, city walls were demolished as they became an obstacle to both urban expansion and traffic circulation.

New Neighborhoods & Social Segregation

Distinct new neighborhoods were built, reflecting social divisions:

• Middle Class Neighborhoods: Built far away from factories, featuring wide avenues, gas street lights, shops, theatres, and tram-lines. Homes were typically large, well-built, comfortable, and often multi-storied.
• Working Class Neighborhoods: Constructed near factories, characterized by narrow, poorly planned streets, and usually lacking adequate lighting and public services.

Causes of the Industrial Revolution

Population Growth

Across Europe, significant increases in food production, coupled with advances in hygiene and medicine (e.g., the smallpox vaccine), led to substantial population growth.

The Agricultural Revolution

In Europe, agricultural production dramatically increased, and crop varieties became more diverse. Key developments included:

• Small, family-owned farms were replaced by extensive agricultural holdings.
• The mechanization of agriculture began with innovations like John Deere’s steel plough and McCormick’s mechanized harvester.
• Animal and mineral fertilizers were widely used to improve soil fertility.
• Crop rotation was introduced, enhancing land productivity.

Increased Trade

In Great Britain, foreign trade expanded significantly as the country dominated crucial trade routes in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Domestic trade also grew substantially due to increased consumer demand.

Technological Advances

The Industrial Revolution marked the definitive beginning of the machine age. A pivotal invention was the modern steam engine by James Watt. It utilized coal as a fuel, and steam power became the primary energy source driving new machinery, finding widespread applications in agriculture, industry, mining, and transport.