Though many people found employment in cities they were still very poor, the industrial revolution and the subsequent urbanisation created slum conditions and greater differences between the rich and the poor. In the cities there was also a huge population increase which caused many problems, such as lack of food. The working conditions of the poor workers were also horrendous and women and children were exploited very badly. All these things created a lot of resentment towards the rich.
Along with urbanisation and flourishing trade, there was also the spread of the railways around this time, so workers experienced new ideas as they travelled, and became more conscience of their situation and wanted to change their situation for the better.
Despite the conditions for the workers at the beginning and the social problems, over time the industrial revolution brought about a better standard of living for the people, and along with all the economic prosperity the Industrial revolution brought about many positive changes.
Some groups did not benefit however, many skilled workers lost their jobs due to advances in machinery, they became very resentful and in many parts of England, machine breaking riots were common. These were the Luddites.
There were also many agricultural changes, at this time all the rural farming land was owned by wealthy landowners and aristocrats and the peasants worked on their land. The same system had lasted for years until new technological improvements started to come in. These included new machinery, but also the use of new crops, the use of fertilisers such as marl, the start of selective breeding and the spread of enclosed land to form large fields also improved yields. In fact all these improvements started to significantly increase production. This had the effect of putting many farm labourers out their jobs and the new enclosures also forced small-time farmers out as they lost their rights to the common land.
Despite all these problems the agricultural revolution made a very positive impact. It pushed the farm labourers into towns and cities, which played an important part in the industrial revolution. It also allowed Britain to just about feed a very rapidly growing population.
Throughout all this period of change, one thing can be seen as almost constant, the power of the Tories, between 1815 and 1830, mostly under Lord Liverpool, the Whig party failed to occupy office at all. The Tories, Whigs and the Radicals were not like political parties of the present, they were much more vague groups, with no definite policies.
In general, the Tories wanted to stay with the status quo, with the same powers for the monarchy (who were not autocratic but were still very powerful) and the Anglican Church, and to keep very strict law and order. Some Tories were also in favour of cautious humanitarian reform, which could be seen as policy to keep them in power and to not allow another French revolution to happen in Britain.
The Whigs saw themselves as more liberal despite also being wealthy landowners (Britain was an oligarchy, with the power in the hands of the wealthy landowners). They were the least organised of the three groups and loosely stood for a reduction in the powers of the monarchy and a reform to the voting system, which was not very democratic and very corrupt at the time. The also supported merchants, bankers and groups who had broken away from the Church of England.
The Radicals had the least political party, and they stood for huge reform of the political system to give more power to the middle and working classes. They were very influenced by Utilitarianism.
Although Britain had these three parties and was much more democratic than many places, most people couldn’t vote and were not represented and because of the open ballet system there was a lot of corruption.
In spite of this, there was seeming stability in the power of the Tory government, but Britain encountered many problems during their time in power.
The government had to face the problems of the catholic emancipation and economic recession and debt after the war with France. Also due to the industrial revolution and the conditions of the working class, there was a lot of unrest, and the government feared another revolution like the one in France.
So at this time there were many political problems because of changes in society. The biggest changes in society had come because of the industrial and agricultural revolutions. In rural areas many workers had become very poor and unemployed because of improvements in technology, and in towns workers lived and worked in very poor conditions. Also thousands of returning soldiers could not find work. Add this to a rapidly expanding population, and society faced many changes and problems.
Many people became very unhappy, including the rising middle class who were making their money in the industrial revolution. All the groups wanted to change their position in society and wanted more power (and less power to the aristocracy) and a better quality of life. The government did little to help at the time, often passing laws that worsened the situation, such as the combination laws that banned trade unions, which made workers’ situation’s even worse and the corn laws which made peasants lives even harder in rural areas. So society faced a lot of turbulence at this time.
Internationally the situation seemed better for Britain, the defeat of France had pushed Britain’s prestige even and along with a booming economy and a large empire, Britain was the most powerful country in the world.
Notwithstanding the war the France, Britain usually tried to keep out of European affairs, the kept a policy of ‘splendid isolation’, looking after themselves and their colonies. But sometimes Britain had to get involved, they had fought the war against France to keep the power balanced in France, to make sure no one country got too powerful and affected Britain’s prime position in the world. Britain also had to get involved occasionally to further her trading interests, as at the time Europe was the biggest buyer of Britain’s exports. Britain also had to protect its political interests, supporting liberalism and nationalism, which meant it, got into disagreements with autocratic governments like Austro-Hungary and Russia.
Britain also became involved in the scramble for the colonisation of Africa, which later added to Britain having the biggest empire the world had ever seen.
So in 1815 Britain had begun to go through a period of change, especially the industrial revolution which was to change Britain totally and affected Britain’s society, politics and international situation.
