Chapter 24-2Chapter 24-2

Late 19Late 19thth Century Century

Social StructureSocial Structure

Second ½ of 19Second ½ of 19thth Century Century

Increase in the standard of livingIncrease in the standard of living Still big gap between working Still big gap between working

class and wealthyclass and wealthy ““Golden Age of the Middle Class”Golden Age of the Middle Class” In England 1820-1850 Wages In England 1820-1850 Wages

and consumption increased by and consumption increased by 50%50%

Growing demand for Growing demand for experts with specialized experts with specialized

knowledgeknowledge New Professionals: Engineers, architects, New Professionals: Engineers, architects,

chemists, accountants, surveyorschemists, accountants, surveyors Managers of large public and private Managers of large public and private

institutionsinstitutions Expansion and diversification of the lower Expansion and diversification of the lower

middle class:middle class: Increase of white-collar employees: Salesmen, Increase of white-collar employees: Salesmen,

bookkeepers, store managers, clerksbookkeepers, store managers, clerks Increase in independent property-owning Increase in independent property-owning

shopkeepersshopkeepers

Society more diversified Society more diversified but less unifiedbut less unified

The Middle ClassThe Middle Class

Western Europe: 15-12% of Western Europe: 15-12% of populationpopulation

Eastern Europe lessEastern Europe less Only 2% in RussiaOnly 2% in Russia Nobles dominated businessNobles dominated business

Upper Middle ClassUpper Middle Class

BankersBankers Industrial leadersIndustrial leaders Top government officialsTop government officials Large scale commerceLarge scale commerce

Employed several servantsEmployed several servants

Upper Middle ClassUpper Middle Class

Smaller businessmenSmaller businessmen ProfessionalsProfessionals MerchantsMerchants DoctorsDoctors LawyersLawyers Civil servantsCivil servants Employed at least one sercant: cook Employed at least one sercant: cook

or maidor maid

Lower Middle Class: Lower Middle Class: Petite BourgeoisiePetite Bourgeoisie

Independent shopkeepersIndependent shopkeepers Small merchantsSmall merchants Store managersStore managers Minor civil servantsMinor civil servants TeachersTeachers ClerksClerks Some master craftsmen (like Some master craftsmen (like

goldsmiths)goldsmiths)

Lower Middle Class Lower Middle Class continuedcontinued

Grew from about 7% of Grew from about 7% of population to 20% in 1900population to 20% in 1900

Women: department store Women: department store clerks, stenographers, clerks, stenographers, secretaries, waitresses, nursessecretaries, waitresses, nurses

Women held more than ½ of post Women held more than ½ of post office and government clerk jobs office and government clerk jobs in 1911in 1911

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the Middle Class:Middle Class:

Believed in classical LiberalismBelieved in classical Liberalism Sought protection of property in Sought protection of property in

constitutional assemblies (British constitutional assemblies (British Parliament, French Chamber of Parliament, French Chamber of Deputies)Deputies)

Gained political influence with Gained political influence with increased property ownership increased property ownership (linked to voting rights)(linked to voting rights)

Characteristics of Middle Characteristics of Middle Class Class continuedcontinued

Emphasized individual liberty and Emphasized individual liberty and respectability based on economic respectability based on economic successsuccess

Clearest goal: Expanding the family’s Clearest goal: Expanding the family’s fortune was the way to respectabilityfortune was the way to respectability

The family was the foundation of the The family was the foundation of the social order social order

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the Middle ClassMiddle Class

continuedcontinued

Education and religion extremely Education and religion extremely importantimportant

Evangelical Protestantism Evangelical Protestantism especially in Eng;and, especially in Eng;and, Netherlands, some German Netherlands, some German StatesStates

Catholicism in FranceCatholicism in France Strong feelings of nationalismStrong feelings of nationalism

Working Class Working Class continuedcontinued

Highly Skilled: (15% of pop) Labor Highly Skilled: (15% of pop) Labor AristocracyAristocracy Construction bosses, foremen, highly skilled Construction bosses, foremen, highly skilled

craftsmencraftsmen

Semi-skilled: Semi-skilled: Carpenters, bricklayers, successful factory Carpenters, bricklayers, successful factory

workersworkers

Unskilled and domestic servants Unskilled and domestic servants (most women)(most women)

The Working Class: The Working Class:

80 % of population80 % of population Many were peasants and hired Many were peasants and hired

hands (especially in Eastern Europe)hands (especially in Eastern Europe) Less unified and homogenous than Less unified and homogenous than

Middle ClassMiddle Class Highly SkilledHighly Skilled Semi-skilledSemi-skilled UnskilledUnskilled

Working Class Working Class continuedcontinued

By 1900 over ½ of all working By 1900 over ½ of all working women in England were women in England were domestic servantsdomestic servants

1874 Children 14% of all textile 1874 Children 14% of all textile factory workersfactory workers

The FamilyThe Family

By 1850 Romantic love became the By 1850 Romantic love became the most important reason for marriagemost important reason for marriage

Rising standard of living, better Rising standard of living, better economy = younger marriageseconomy = younger marriages

BUT economic status was still BUT economic status was still importantimportant

Also...remember respectability…Also...remember respectability…

The Family The Family continuedcontinued

Middle Class females monitored Middle Class females monitored closely by parentsclosely by parents

Chastity was paramountChastity was paramount Middle Class boys …not so muchMiddle Class boys …not so much

The Family The Family continuedcontinued

Rate of illegitimacy decreased after 1850Rate of illegitimacy decreased after 1850 Premarital sex still common but couples Premarital sex still common but couples

“in trouble” tended to marry“in trouble” tended to marry Middle Class emphasized fidelity in Middle Class emphasized fidelity in

marriagemarriage

HOWEVER most of the customers of HOWEVER most of the customers of prostitutes were middle and upper class prostitutes were middle and upper class menmen

The Family The Family continuedcontinued

After 1850 increasingly distince gender After 1850 increasingly distince gender rolesroles

Husbands were the primary wage-earnersHusbands were the primary wage-earners Wife dominated the homeWife dominated the home Child-rearing became more child-centeredChild-rearing became more child-centered

Middle Class women began to resist their Middle Class women began to resist their second-class statussecond-class status

Demand for education, employment, lawsDemand for education, employment, laws

Middle Class Child-Middle Class Child-RearingRearing

Lower mortality rates for children = Lower mortality rates for children = parents more emotionally involvedparents more emotionally involved

Mothers increasingly breastfed their Mothers increasingly breastfed their own infantsown infants

Lower rate of illegitimacyLower rate of illegitimacy Fewer children abandoned to Fewer children abandoned to

foundling hospitalsfoundling hospitals Decrease in number of children in Decrease in number of children in

familiesfamilies

Middle Class Child-Middle Class Child-Rearing Rearing continuedcontinued

Increase in the number of books Increase in the number of books published on child-rearingpublished on child-rearing

Middle Class parents intent on Middle Class parents intent on improving the economic and social improving the economic and social condition of childrencondition of children

Working Class Child-Working Class Child-RearingRearing

Working class children did not remain Working class children did not remain economically dependent on their familieseconomically dependent on their families

Boys and girls went to work after Boys and girls went to work after adolescenceadolescence

Broke from families when emotional ties Broke from families when emotional ties became oppressive (all unlike middle became oppressive (all unlike middle class)class)

In 20In 20thth century middle-class youth will century middle-class youth will follow above patternfollow above pattern

Life in the fin de siecleLife in the fin de siecle

1895-1914 Belle Epoque1895-1914 Belle Epoque

(The Good Old Days)(The Good Old Days) Increased standard of living in all Increased standard of living in all

industrial countriesindustrial countries But better living conditions in But better living conditions in

Northern Europe (Britain, France, Northern Europe (Britain, France, Germany) than Southern or Eastern Germany) than Southern or Eastern EuropeEurope

Life at the end of the Life at the end of the Century Century continuedcontinued

Gradually people enjoyed higher Gradually people enjoyed higher wages and lower prices for foodwages and lower prices for food

Britain 1850-1900 wages almost Britain 1850-1900 wages almost doubleddoubled

More money spent on clothingMore money spent on clothing Meat consumption increased Meat consumption increased

dramaticallydramatically Increased money and increased Increased money and increased

leisure timeleisure time

Increased ConsumptionIncreased Consumption

Sports: increased # of spectators Sports: increased # of spectators and participantsand participants Increase in sports clubsIncrease in sports clubs Soccer (football), rugby, bicycle Soccer (football), rugby, bicycle

and auto races, track and fieldand auto races, track and field 1890’s: huge bicycle craze1890’s: huge bicycle craze

Women and SportsWomen and Sports

Increasing numbers of women active Increasing numbers of women active in sports clubs and bicyclingin sports clubs and bicycling

Gradually women abandoned their Gradually women abandoned their restrictive slothing for dresses that restrictive slothing for dresses that allowed for more movementallowed for more movement

Sports Sports continuedcontinued

The emergence of the sports culture The emergence of the sports culture mirrored the growth of aggressive mirrored the growth of aggressive nationalism in the late 19nationalism in the late 19thth century century

Some Social Darwinists believed that Some Social Darwinists believed that sports conpetition confirmed the sports conpetition confirmed the superiority of certain racial groupssuperiority of certain racial groups

Other Leisure ActivitiesOther Leisure Activities

Increased patronage of cafes Increased patronage of cafes and taverns in cities and townsand taverns in cities and towns

Department Stores mainly Department Stores mainly frequented by the middle classfrequented by the middle class

Paris: dance halls, concerts, Paris: dance halls, concerts, playsplays

New InventionsNew Inventions

TelephoneTelephone AutomobileAutomobile GramophoneGramophone RadioRadio Motion PicturesMotion Pictures

EducationEducation

The State’s role in education The State’s role in education increased = more secularization increased = more secularization of societyof society

Decreased the influence of Decreased the influence of organized religionorganized religion

Increased the emphasis of Increased the emphasis of loyality and service to the stateloyality and service to the state

Education Education continuedcontinued

England: all children 5-12 required England: all children 5-12 required to attend primary school: Freeto attend primary school: Free

France: The Ferry Laws required France: The Ferry Laws required children 3-13 to attend primary children 3-13 to attend primary schools: Freeschools: Free

Increased LiteracyIncreased Literacy

Men had higher rates than womenMen had higher rates than women Urbanites more literate than rural folksUrbanites more literate than rural folks Northern and Western Europe more Northern and Western Europe more

literate than Southern and Easternliterate than Southern and Eastern 1900: Germany 99%...Russia 25%1900: Germany 99%...Russia 25%

Girls less access to higher ed than boysGirls less access to higher ed than boys Families had to payFamilies had to pay BUT could improve marriage prospectsBUT could improve marriage prospects