Describe Industrial Revolutions Effect on Social Class (Essay Sample)

Industrial Revolution's Effect on Social Class
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Industrialization has the potential of significantly changing entire economies. The industrial revolution drastically changed all aspects of life. It was as a result of major technological breakthroughs. Inventions that changed agriculture, trade and manufacturing were at the center of the revolution. The revolution had a lasting impact on people’s lives though not all classes felt the benefits. The already wealthy and well connected as well as skilled individuals were the major beneficiaries. Peasants and unskilled people continued to struggle despite the momentous economic gains. The lives of those at the bottom of the society continued to be dictated by the elite. At the middle of the social strata were the middle class majorly made of professionals and merchants who experienced considerable change in their living conditions. This essay discusses the industrial revolution's effect on social class.
The industrial revolution greatly influenced social change. It altered the centuries-old European class structure by adjusting the philosophical and economic worldview of the west (Smelser, 2013). Before the revolution, Europe was majorly static and centered on privilege. The aristocrats or nobles were the most powerful social grouping and their power was as a result of their ownership of land and factories. At the bottom of the social stratum was the peasantry who labored for the aristocrats (Humphries, 2013). Above the peasants were the artisans who were basically skilled craftsmen. The skilled artisans had more control over their lives as compared to peasants. Industrialization brought about profound impact on social structure. People got to work away from their homes. Skills played a primary role in determining the quality of life. Artisans had easy transition while the unskilled people worked for minimum wage in inhumane conditions. The rich continued to grow their wealth and influence.
Land and factory owners gained tremendous new wealth thanks to industrialization. This allowed those at the upper echelons of the society to build enormous castles, build libraries and museums as well as collect fine art (Hartwell, 2017). The privileged were previously prosperous but now achieved a new kind of excellence hence the extravagance. The middle class, on the other hand, experienced enormous benefits. The revolution resulted in countless new jobs and hence the class grew in size. Occupations such as accountants, merchants, machine operators and shopkeepers promoted the working class to a higher social class (Hartwell, 2017). They were able to afford comfortable lives and endeavored to educate their children so as to maintain or rise above the social strata. The lives of the underclass or sunken people changed but certainly did not improve. In view of the fact t...