IndexIntroductionPopulation growth and urbanizationNew social classesEarly socialismIntroductionThe industrial revolution increased the material wealth of the European world. It also ended the dominance of agriculture and initiated significant social change. The daily work environment has also changed dramatically in society, and the West has become an urban civilization. Cities grew and two new social classes – the industrial middle class and the industrial working class – emerged. The Industrial Revolution increased and accelerated the growth of the middle class. He helped create the modern worldview that through the proper use of science and technology a more fruitful quality of life can be achieved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Population growth and urbanization The population of England has increased, with little growth. Then, between 1750 and 1850, it more than doubled due to growth, declining mortality rates, and wars. The industrial revolution was preceded by an agricultural revolution that increased food supply while decreasing the amount of labor needed. Traditionally, the primary goal of agriculture was to produce enough food to prevent famine. This overwhelming fear of starvation made most farmers very conservative and very skeptical of change. Poor harvests would have reduced the supply of food, resulting in higher prices. The fundamental effect of supply and demand was at the heart of most class conflict in this pre-industrial world. Both bad harvests and population growth affected the price of food. The unaffordable prices increased the wealth of the aristocratic class and led the peasants to death and starvation; therefore, the main reason behind most peasant revolts was the high price of food. As the population grew, the industrial revolution worked to shift it. Technological and scientific developments meant that industry moved to different locations and so the English population gathered in ever larger urban centres, to work in factories and other mass workplaces. London's population doubled in the fifty years from 1801 to 1851, and towns and cities across the nation were growing too. Conditions in these areas were often bad since the expansion happened so quickly and people were crammed together, with close quarters, dirt and disease, but not bad enough. The Industrial Revolution also accelerated urban population growth. One of the most important consequences of urbanization has been a rapid increase in crime. This was the result of three factors that dominated the urban landscape. The first two were poverty and unemployment. There was no job security, no social security, no minimum wage for the worker. If someone was injured at work or was fired, they had little chance of replacing the lost income. New social classes The middle class consisted of businessmen and other professionals. The greater the industrial revolution, the more powerful these individuals became. Individuals and groups formed new libraries, schools, and universities because there was a sudden need for education (probably due to the increase in population). The middle and upper classes had better food and housing, which led to fewer diseases and longer lives among these groups. Because these classes were treated so well, their population grew and so they had.