By the mid-19th century, only Great Britain and Belgium had a majority of their populations residing in urban areas. The Census of 1851 revealed that agriculture remained the largest employer in British industries, closely followed by domestic service. The concentration of economic wealth and rapid urbanization were evident in the remarkable expansion of British towns. After 1850, this trend became particularly pronounced with the emergence of large urban centers, which later evolved into what we now call “conurbations.”
“In 1800 London, Paris, and Berlin had, respectively, about 900,000, 600,000, and 170,000 inhabitants. In 1900 the corresponding figures were 4.7 million, 3.6 million and 2.7 million. In that year Glasgow, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vienna all had more than 1,000,000 inhabitants each.”
A History of Europe, J.M. Roberts, pg. 332
These urban centers epitomized the trend toward urbanization in regions where industrialization first gained momentum, drawing individuals in with the promise of wealth and job opportunities.
As the 18th century drew to a close, a nostalgic yearning for rural life began to surface, coinciding with the initial phase of visible industrial growth. The 19th century ushered in a wave of aesthetic and moral opposition to city life. Urbanization was often perceived as detrimental and unhealthy, associated with subversive elements. Conditions in burgeoning metropolitan areas frequently proved dire for the impoverished, with London’s East End showcasing some of the most shocking examples of poverty and disease. In France, the “dangerous classes” of Parisian poor preoccupied the government for much of the century, serving as a breeding ground for revolutionary movements.
Concerns arose that these expanding cities could foster resentment toward society’s leaders and serve as a potential revolutionary force. Cities became seen as incubators of ideological dissent, dismantling traditional behaviors and offering a fertile ground for new social reforms and ideas. They provided anonymity, allowing individuals to escape the oversight of priests, landowners, and neighbors that characterized rural life.
As literacy rates improved, fresh ideas began to challenge long-held beliefs, with atheism and irreligion becoming particularly pronounced. At that time, religion was viewed as the cornerstone of morality and social cohesion. This realization prompted a series of efforts in both Protestant and Catholic nations to reclaim the cities, leading to the establishment of new churches in industrial suburbs and the development of missions that combined evangelism with social outreach, educating clergy about the realities of modern urban life.
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