European Society in the 19th Century

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European Society in the 19th Century
The 19th Century era contributed to significant changes in the European society; it was described as the emergence of mass society or the “age of new progress”. The changes were seen in different aspects including social classes, the new industrial economy, and trade unionism, ideal of progress, consumerism, population patterns, urban changes, gender, family, and everyday life. This paper critically reviews the European society in the 19th Century.
The industrial revolution gave birth to new and robust industrial prosperity; there was introduction of new products and patterns such as switch from steel to iron; electricity; development of two economic zones and combustion engines (Spielvogel, 709). Focus also shifted to a world economy where products from all over the world were traded and domination of Europe in its trade; this contributed to the expansion of industrialization to areas such as Russia and Japan.
The organization of the working class also occurred this was drive by philosophers like Friedrich Engels. The evolution of trade unions was evident and they spread in all industrialized countries, so as to give the working class some basic rights. This was also characterized by the revisionists that believed in reforms and rebuffed revolutionary approaches (Spielvogel, 712).
Mass society also emerged creating a new urban environment; this was though the growth of cities and urban centers. This contributed to high population increase in such areas as they migrated from rural to urban areas. There were improved living conditions in the urban centers as the sectors such as health were regulated by boards. There were also improved services such as clean water, improved sanitation and housing.
The social structure was also imparted in this period; it gave birth to the elite, middle class and lower class. The elite were the wealthy and controlled major industries and businesses; the middle class divided into the upper, middle middle class, and lower middle class. The middle classes also included the professionals and white collar workers. The lower classes were the skilled, semi skilled, and unskilled; they were majorly involved in agriculture and casual laborers in the industries and contributed to majority in the society. Spielvogel quotes “Urban centers offered something positive as well, usually mass employment in factories and later in service trades” (717).
Women were also significantly highlighted during this period,; their contribution in family and marriage was identified as the single women had a rough time to earn. It also saw the introduction and use of the birth control methods in order to control the sizes of family. The society also experienced the middle class family where men were the bread winners and provided income while the women were left to handle household and domestic issues. It also encouraged the Victorian ideas that fo...