- Industrialization led to the growth of a middle class that consisted of professionals, merchants, and skilled workers. This group of people was more educated and had more access to information and ideas compared to the traditional agrarian society.
- Due to their economic success and better education, the middle class had more leisure time to devote to intellectual and political pursuits.
2. Spread of Enlightenment ideas:
- Industrialization also facilitated the dissemination of Enlightenment ideas. With the emergence of printing presses and the expansion of communication channels, ideas about individual liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness could easily reach a wider audience.
- Liberalism, being an ideology based on these Enlightenment ideals, found a fertile ground among the educated middle class who were actively involved in spreading these ideas.
3. Impact on social structures:
- Industrialization led to the breakdown of traditional feudal and guild systems, which had restricted social mobility. This paved the way for a more fluid social structure where individuals were free to pursue their own economic opportunities.
- Liberalism, with its emphasis on individual liberty and equality, fit into this new social context and attracted people who sought social emancipation.
4. Urbanization:
- As a consequence of industrialization, there was a significant increase in urbanization. Cities became hubs of economic activity, attracting people from rural areas in search of jobs.
- This concentration of people in urban centers led to the emergence of new social and political movements, many of which were influenced by liberal ideas.
5. Economic liberalism:
- Industrialization fueled economic liberalism, which advocated for free markets and minimal government intervention. This economic philosophy promoted the idea of the "laissez-faire" policies, where individuals were free to pursue their economic interests without excessive government regulation.
- Economic liberalism complemented political liberalism by arguing for individual freedom in the economic sphere, which further helped in spreading liberal ideals.
In summary, industrialization paved the way for liberalism through the rise of a middle class, the circulation of Enlightenment ideas, changes in social structures, the concentration of people in cities, and the emergence of economic liberalism.