How was the class structure in Britain changing during the period of Industrialisation? (1783-1812)

Question 1

What was released in 1815? By who?

Answer 1

• ‘A Treatise on the Wealth, Power and Resources of the British Empire’
• Patrick Colquhoun

Question 2

How many people were there in the upper/landed classes? What percent of the population was this?

Answer 2

• 203,000
• 1.2%

Question 3

How many people made up the royal family and peers?

Answer 3

220

Question 4

How many people made up the titled class?

Answer 4

4400

Question 5

How many landed gentry were there?

Answer 5

16,000

Question 6

Did the position of the upper classes change? If so, how?

Answer 6

• became wealthier due to inherited land, enclosure and etc.
• social gap with middle class decreasing
• number of yeomen decreasing due to enclosure
• still held political and economical power

Question 7

How many people were apart of the middle class? What percent of the population was this?

Answer 7

• 4.9 million
• 28.8%

Question 8

How many people were freeholders?

Answer 8

• 1.2 million

Question 9

How many people were shopkeepers?

Answer 9

• 600,000

Question 10

How many people were clergymen?

Answer 10

• 115,000

Question 11

How did the income of freeholders, shopkeepers and clergymen compare to the gentry?

Answer 11

• they typically earned more than the gentry but were middle class due to their lack of titles

Question 12

How was the position of the middle class changing?

Answer 12

• expanding
• if they were economically successful they could buy land and move up into the landed classes
• began advocating for more political rights and representation

Question 13

How did the social behaviour of the middle class compare to that of the upper class?

Answer 13

• mimicked the upper class

Question 14

How many people made up the labouring population? What percent of the population was this?

Answer 14

• 12 million
• 69.9%

Question 15

What was an issue with the number of people in the labouring class?

Answer 15

• Colquhoun might have been exaggerating

Question 16

How many skilled craftsmen were there?

Answer 16

• 4.9 million

Question 17

How many agricultural labourers were there?

Answer 17

3.5 million

Question 18

How many paupers, vagrants, lunatics and prisoners were there?

Answer 18

• 1.9 million

Question 19

How was the position of the labouring class changing?

Answer 19

• craftsmen earned more than agricultural workers = larger social divide
• craftsmen could rely on friendly societies, agricultural labourers could rely on poor relief during economic downturn
• began advocating for more political rights and representation

Question 20

What were the similarities between the middle and lower classes?

Answer 20

• both lacked political power and began advocating for more

Question 21

How did the political ambitions of the middle and labouring classes differ?

Answer 21

• middle wanted to modify the political system and join in
• labouring wanted to overthrow it