- Britain has a history of a rigid class structure
- Upper class (nobility, landed gentry) held significant wealth and power
- Middle class (professionals, merchants, manufacturers) grew in prosperity and influence, but faced barriers to higher social status.
- Working class (industrial workers, laborers) experienced harsh living and working conditions.
Wealth Inequality:
- Income gaps were significant during this period.
- The upper class and a small portion of the middle class controlled a vast majority of the nation's wealth.
Access to Education:
- Higher education was largely reserved for the upper and middle classes due to fee-based system
- Working-class individuals had limited opportunities for academic advancement limiting social mobility.
Social Conventions:
- Social norms reinforced class distinctions.
- Upper-class families often socialized within their circles excluding lower-class individuals.
Political Representation:
- Parliament was dominated by landowners and aristocrats with limited representation for other classes until suffrage reforms expanded voting rights.
Urban-Rural Divide:
- Britain experienced rapid urbanization during this period with millions moving from rural areas to industrial cities .
- These cities faced overcrowding, poverty, unsanitary conditions, increasing the divide between urban working class and rural communities
In summary, social class, access to education, societal customs, wealth disparity, the urbanization process, and suffrage issues contributed to social disunity during Victorian Britain making class and status crucial components of British society throughout this era.