Forms of economic dangers that threatened members of the lower classes of Europe in 19th century - Essay Example

This paper investigates the many forms of economic dangers that threatened members of the lower classes of Europe during the first half of the nineteenth century and the measures they took to avoid or deal with these dangers. There were various economic dangers that various people from the lower classes of Europe faced during the first half of the nineteenth century. During this period most young people moved from rural areas to cities looking for work which resulted to high population growth in the cities.

Although the economic life of the lower class in Europe had always been inferior, it greatly deteriorated during the early part of the nineteenth century. The key economic threats they faced included, starvation, unemployment, poor living conditions, lack of good sanitation and water, overcrowding, deskilling, low wages as noted by Etienne Bede in his first job (Traugott 52), poor working conditions, lack job protection, and social and political tensions (Zeydel). The rapid rise in population due to the impact of the industrial revolution as well as the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas, resulted to food shortages in the early nineteenth century with most of the lower class people facing starvation and not able to afford food.

Furthermore, Poor food (cereal) harvests and the potato blight that attacked potato crops in Ireland resulted to wide spread food shortages and food riots, and a sharp in food prices way beyond the means of the lower class (Vanhaute, Paping, and O’Grada 2-5). Norbert Truquin in his biography recounts of near starvation spells as he barely earned enough and the food prices were high (Traugott 263-265). In early nineteenth century, life was penurious for the lower class. There was no protection of jobs and a person could easily lose their jobs.

While factories attempted to provide steady work to their employees, where there wasn’t much to be done, the factories would close up. Or in Truquin’s case, he found it hard to find work since factories had closed. And when he did find work, it only lasted for twelve days, earning barely enough to support him (Traugott 281-283). Furthermore, the political and social tensions were prevalent, and greatly presented a threat to the workers sustaining their daily jobs. Etienne Bede recounts of his fear in working as well his hesitation to open shop at his home town due to fear of being arrested for abandoning the army (Traugott 56, 58).

Furthermore, worker class actions in protest of poor working conditions and low wages for most made things even worse for low class working persons. This can be noted in Truiquin’s case where ran out of money within four days after taking part in a demonstration against the government for unemployment and bad working conditions (Traugott 280-282). Furthermore, Suzanne Voilquin reiterates that most periods after restoration as exceeding depressing and distressing for worker (Traugott 101). For the workmen of organized trade such as Perdiguier, jobs tended to be seasonal and hence they had to travel looking for work