Societal and Demographic Shifts of the Industrial Revolution

Impact of the Industrial Revolution

A country's international influence became measured by its level of industrialization, not by its size or military capability. Thus, the Industrial Revolution caused a global split between developed, industrialized nations and non-industrialized or late-industrializing countries. Key impacts include:

• Population Growth and Urban Expansion: Industries tended to be located near urban centers, driving significant growth in cities.
• Economic Development: It boosted other economic activities by providing machines for agriculture, revolutionizing transportation, and stimulating trade. This encouraged the growth of capitalism, which required increasing amounts of capital and financing.
• New Class Society: A new social structure emerged based on the wealth each individual possessed. The enriched bourgeoisie became the ruling group, and a new social class, the industrial proletariat, was formed. The appalling working conditions for the proletariat were the beginning of the labor movement and ideologies contrary to capitalism.
• Scientific and Technological Advancement: It favored the development of science and technology needed to improve and increase industrial production, bringing new materials and themes of inspiration to art.

Demographic and Urban Changes

The Industrial Revolution took place during a period of intense demographic and urban growth in Europe.

Population Growth

The population of Europe rose from 140 to 300 million people between 1750 and 1870. The main cause was the decline in mortality due to several reasons: improved nutrition, medical advances, and progress in urban sanitation from the mid-nineteenth century onward. As a consequence of this growth, some countries, like Britain and the Scandinavian nations, began a considerable emigration to other continents, especially America and Oceania. However, these demographic changes did not occur at the same rate in all European countries. They were most prominent in Western countries and had just started in the south.

Urban Expansion

Cities also experienced strong growth between 1750 and 1870 due to their own natural growth and, especially, peasant immigration. The fastest-growing were industrial and commercial cities such as London, which, with two and a half million inhabitants in the mid-nineteenth century, was the largest city in Europe.

This urban growth led to the creation of new, socially distinct neighborhoods. The bourgeois quarters, situated near the old city center, had a regular layout, spacious, paved streets, and large, high-quality buildings. In contrast, working-class neighborhoods emerged near the factories. They had a disrupted layout, narrow streets, a lack of services, and small, poor-quality houses.