Middle Class in Manchester in the 19th Century - Case Study Example

Swarna1 Word count 2976 ID 5448 Order # 141530 26 November 2006. What did it mean to be middle in one of the Manchester’s affluent suburbs in the nineteenth century Abstract The middle class had a different life style and cultural history in Manchester affluent suburbs in England during 19th century. Studying and analyzing their attitude and problems would be of enormous importance in formulation of social regulations of the present day society. Keeping this in view, the present study has been conducted to ascertain whether the problems faced by middle class were genuine and to prioritize the difficulties based on primary and secondary sources of information. The results revealed that lack of proper social treatment in society and low wages were the genuine problems faced by the middle class during that period. Lack of social support system and health regulations are the grey areas which have to be improved for all sections of society in present day era. Introduction Middle class can be defined as social and economic class comprised of those more prosperous than the poor, or lower class, and less wealthy than the upper class. Similarly suburbs are defined as towns or unincorporated developed areas nearer to a city. In the United States and other industrial countries, the term is generally referred to white-collar, as opposed to blue-collar, workers. The term can either be applied to all those who are at neither extreme of the income strata or to a relative elite of professionals and managers. As recent economic trends have revealed that the statistical middle of American society cannot originslly afford the lifestyle indicative of the middle class, the term middle class can also correctly be applied to a relative elite of professionals and managers. This group in American context is referred to several classes such as the upper middle class, true middle class or professional middle class is highly-educated, well-paid minority, largely immune to economic downturns which can have severe effects on those in the actual middle of society. The professional middle class are influential members of society due to the nature of their work and this class has largely been credited with establishing the American mainstream. The present discussion however refers to the working middle class who passed through tough phase during 19th century in England. Suburbs had given occupation to several residents and were usually dependent on a city for employment and support services and are generally characterized by low-density development relative to the city. However, considerable industrial development has occurred in many suburbs so that their dependency on a city has been reduced (FN 1). Majority of the residents of suburbs come under middle class and was reflected even in 19th century in England in general and Manchester affluent suburbs in particular. There were different opinions regarding the life style of these middle class in Manchester based suburbs during 19th century. Understanding their value system and difficulties with the transformation of society would be of immense use for researchers and policy makers in formulation of strategies for welfare of people. Keeping this in view the present study has been conducted with following objectives: 1. To study and analyze the basic life style followed by middle class during 19th century in Manchester based suburbs. 2. To outline the difficulties faced by the middle class in Manchester from other sections of society. This study will answer the following questions? Whether the difficulties faced by the middle class in 1.Manchester affluent suburbs in 19th century were genuine or not? 2. How to prioritize their problems? Methodology The analysis of facts related to the life style of middle class and the outlining of problems faced by them was done by through review of literature and some primary data collection from small sample of respondents (100). The respondents were asked to prioritize the life style problems faced by the middle class during 19th century based on their perception through different media and magazines. The primary data was analyzed by Randomisd Block Design (RBD) using NPRCSTAT statistical package. Different statistical parameters like general mean, coefficient of variation, standard error of mean and critical difference (CD) at 5 % error level of significance or 95 % probability were analysed. Results and Discussion Throughout England, the distinction between the city and out lying districts was reported to be very high in the 18th century. However with establishment of industries in 19th century, the difference was narrowed down and heavy pressure on cities by migrating middle class population added further fire. This has resulted in formation of suburbs in Manchestor and London. The first of what would become the modern suburb began outside of London, in 1790. Similarly this trend was found in the U.S. by the mid-1800s (L.J.Muller, 1995). It was also reported that the people started moving from one suburb to other suburb but not from suburb to city (Sharp and Wallock, 1994 and Robert Fishman, 1994). In England, the migration of rich people followed by middle class from cities to suburbs was commonly found during this time. By the middle of the 19th century, the distribution of population in metropolitan London and Manchester confirmed that popular preference for suburban living had become marked. The growth of suburbs was further facilitated by the development of zoning laws and more effective and accessible means of transport. In the United Kingdom, railways stimulated the first mass exodus to the suburbs. Moving along with the population, many companies also located their offices and other facilities in the outer areas of the cities. This has resulted in increased density in older suburbs and, often, the growth of lower density suburbs even further from city centers. Dyos and Wolff (1973) also described the emergence of suburbs and life style of middle class and working class in Victorian England. The literature review suggested that middle class in England is sometimes loosely used to refer to the bourgeoisie. Values commonly associated with the life style of middle class in Manchester affluent suburbs include a desire for social respectability and material wealth and an emphasis on the family and education. They used to live with feeling of false prestige for some fixed norms. For example as described by Katherine Chorley (2001) they used to discuss about costly shops in Manchester than other necessary issues. By discussing about these shopping issues they used to feel that more prestige would be associated with them. Similarly the women of working class were playing the games only as a matter of social custom but not as an avenue for exercise. It was also felt that middle-class society is any society that is more rigid with pre-conceived feelings. Descending from this distinction, the phrase "middle class" came to be used in the United Kingdom during the Industrial Revolution to describe the professional and business class, as distinct from both the titled nobility and the landed gentry on the one hand and the agricultural and industrial laborers on the other. Later the titled nobility of the United Kingdom became less homogeneous. This was because of the increasingly eclectic background of new creations, most of which were politically driven by the so-called middle class, and the declining power of the House of Lords relative to the House of Commons after the Parliament Act 1911. So far as the hereditary element of class was concerned, the titled upper class became less numerous because of the near cessation of new hereditary creations after the Life Peerages Act 1958. This was coupled with the natural rate of extinction of existing hereditary titles and the near abolition of the hereditary element of the House of Lords at the end of the twentieth century. At this point, hereditary titles are in no way the key to being "upper class," although they do lend a distinctive panache within the upper class (FN 2). It was noticed that social status in England in general and Manchester in particular has been less directly linked to wealth than in the United States, and has also been judged by pointers such as accent, manners, place of education and the class of a persons circle of friends and acquaintances. Like United States, the middle class are the most eager participants in pop culture and were ready to forsake even their traditional folk culture as a sign of having arrived in the middle class. This clearly reflects the perception of people that they are crazy to get recognized as middle class. Despite the growing wealth due to trade and commerce, prosperity lay in the hands of very few of Manchesters residents. The working people including middle class, who actually produced the wealth, lived, worked and died in conditions of the most desperate poverty and degradation. Several reports implied that the middle class faced numerous problems in the society in Manchester affluent suburbs in 19th century. The main problems include poor wages, impossibly long working hours, lack of social importance or treatment, and dangerous and unsanitary working conditions. Having no access to better health facilities, high infant mortality and dangerous and unsanitary dwellings are some other important reflections in the life style of middle class during this period. Their life expectancy was also very short. Remarkable number of middle class used to send their children for work in the factories for getting more revenue. It was reported that approximately 35,000 children were engaged in cotton mills nearer to Manchester affluent suburbs. The working hours was very long i.e. minimum 14 hours with out any proper regulation reflecting the poor bargaining capacity of middle class and working class. The middle class didn’t get any proper help and social treatment from the upper class. They contributed enormously for industrial growth rate and gross domestic product of England. Interestingly middle class contributed major share of increasing population of Manchester. Manchester saw exponential population growth during the early 19th century - while Londons population doubled, Manchesters trebled. By and large the middle class lived near and around their workplace, and the wealthy lived a few miles outside the city in their garden suburbs. Houses of middle class were poorly built, without control or regulation of any kind. There was no water or services, and no attempt to provide privacy of any kind. Middle class people worked in shifts and shared beds. Houses were damp with no no damp-proof courses, and rain leeched through walls reflecting the horrible living condition. James Kay (1970) and Engels (1845) gave a vivid picture about the life style of middle class in Manchester during 19th century. It was noticed that the middle class faced a horrible working conditions and majority of them got habituated with hypocricy. They started giving importance to money earning and were apathetic about the quality of surrounding environments. The living condition of middle class in Manchester affluent suburbs like Didsbury and Rusholme was really pathetic as explained by Kidd (2006). Majority of the middle class were on contract employment. They used to work in diversified activities like ware houses, cotton mills, manufacturing industries etc. In addition to lengthy working hours they used to work through out the week in several firms. The remarkable number of middle class in Manchester affluent suburbs included people migrated from Italy and hence it influenced the cultural history of middle class to a remarkable extent. In addition, severe health problems cropped in due to poor health provisions and unsanitary conditions. Industrialization resulted in coal burning domestic fires and innumerable factory chimneys leading to acid rain, and suffered plagues of respiratory diseases like pneumonia and asthma. Life expectancy of a working man in Salford in the 1870s was estimated to be 17 years. The response of government was very poor. While the opening of some hospitals after 1850 and the application of public health measures saw a fast decline in infectious diseases such as small pox, scarlet fever and other communicable diseases, there were still many endemic diseases which plagued working people. No proper sewage regulation policy was worked out adding more fire. Cholera was a common summer visitor to the city. It was reported that the airborne diseases which accounted for the greatest mortality rate. Pulmonary Tuberculosis resulted in more deaths in Manchester. In case of children the main killer was diarrhoea. Later regulations governing the standards of new houses were introduced after 1875 which improved the health status of middle class to some extent. The foundation of Manchesters Unhealthy Dwellings Committee fastened the construction of new houses with better standards and hence improve the standard of living of middle class. By the turn of the century, much of the worst insanitation of Manchester had been removed, and the citys health had improved so that it was no longer the black spot of England (FN 3). The deplorable conditions of middle class living in suburbs of England during 19th century was also explained by Thompson (1982). The poor working conditions of middle class added further ignition to their woes. The relationship with the employers also has not been quite encouraging for middle class employees working under several factories in Manchester affluent suburbs during 19th century (Stuart Hilton, 2003). The secondary data revealed that the problems faced by the middle class include poor standard of living, lack of good social treatment, lack of health facilties, poor dwelling condition, dangerous working conditions and absence of social support system. Friedrich Engels (1987) also reported the poor plight of middle class and working class in Manchester during 19th century. The primary data collected from the respondents revealed that the lack of social prestige and social treatment in the society in comparison with that of upper class was identified as the most serious problem faced by the middle class in Manchester affluent suburbs in 19th century. It is followed by that of low wages accompanied by long working hours. The people were asked to work for 14 hours which was very tedious. Pollution related health problems were also perceived as severe problem faced by the middle class in 19th century. This was mainly due to increased rate of industrialization in suburbs releasing very high doses of pollutants in to the atmosphere. The statistical analysis suggested that the superiority of the first ranked problem (lack of social prestige as upper class, 84 %) is significantly superior to all other problems except with low wages (78 %) and long working hours (78 %). It is because the CD or P value (7.78) at 5 % error level of significance or 95 % probability is higher than the difference in values recorded with the correspondent treatments (84-78 =6). Similarly the lowest rated problem i.e. short life expectancy (27 %) is significantly inferior to that of all other problems as the CD or P value (5% error level or 95 % probability) (7.78) is lower than the difference between this problem with any other problem. For example the difference between values of lowest rated problem (short life expectancy) and next higher problem (child labor) is 11 (38-27) which is higher than the CD or P value of 7.78 which indicates that the difference between treatments statistically significant. Conclusion The middle class in Manchester affluent suburbs during 19th century were not provided with adequate working and living conditions making their life style pathetic. The problems faced by them were quite genuine and were also prioritized so that it will through light on policy makers to give accurate direction for preparing social and economic regulations for different sections of society including middle class. The present study by answering the questions relating to the problems faced by the middle class would certainly aid in effective policy making. References 1. Dyos, H.J. and Michael Wolff. 1973, The Victorian City: Images and Realities. 2 volumes. Lonon. Routledge and Kegan Paul. P: 957. 2. Ehrenreich, Barbara. 1989, Fear of Falling, The Inner Life of the Middle Class. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 0-06-0973331. 3. Engels,F. 1845, The condition of working class in England. Chapter, The attitude of bourgeoisie towards proletariat, Publised in Leipzig in 1845. 4. Katherine Chorley. 2001, Manchester Made Them. 2nd Edition, (The Silk Press, Macclesfield 2001), P: 272, ISBN: 1902685091. 5. Kay-Shuttleworth, James. 1970, The Moral and Physical Condition of the Working Classes Employed in the Cotton Manufacture in Manchester. London: Cass, 1970. 6. Kidd, Allan. 2006, Manchester : A history. Carnegie Publishing Ltd. P: 288. ISBN: 1859361285. 7. Laura J. Miller. 1995, "Family Togetherness and the Suburban Ideal," Sociological Forum, Vol. 10, No. 3., pp. 393-418 (September 1995), pp. 396-398. 8. Robert Fishman. 1994, "Urbanity and Suburbanity: Rethinking the Burbs," Comments: [Bold New City or Built-Up Burb? Redefining Contemporary Suburbia], American Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 1. pp. 35-39, pp. 35-37. 9. Stuart Hilton. 2003, A history of Manchester. Phillimore & Co Ltd. P: 256. ISBN:1860772404 . 10. Thompson, F.M.L. 1982, The Rise of Suburbia (Themes in urban history). Palgrave MacMilan. P: 274. ISBN : 0312684339. 11. William Sharpe and Leonard Wallock. 1994, "Bold New City or Built-Up Burb? Redefining Contemporary Suburbia," American Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 1., pp. 1-30, pp. 1-2, 7. Foot notes FN 1 : http://www.answers.com/topic/suburb FN 2 : http://www.answers.com/topic/middle-class FN 3: http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/history/victorian/Victorian1.html Table 1 : Problems faced by the middle class in Manchester affluent suburbs in 19th century. Problems faced by middle class Percent of people saying yes. Rank Lack of social prestige in society as upper class 84 % I Low wages 78 % II Long working hours 78 % II Pollution related health problems 71 % III Lack of proper medical facilities and health provisions 67 % IV Lack of standard dwelling facilites 63 % V Unsanitory and dangerous working conditions 55 % VI Absence of regulated social support system 55 % VI Unemployment 41 % VII Child labour 38 % VIII Short life expectancy 27 % IX General Mean 59.7 Coefficient of variation 5.8 % Standard Error of Mean 2.46 Critical Difference (CD) at 5% error level of significance 7.78 Read More