“The function and the shape of the family were completely transformed by life in the industrial city.” Clarify the statement with regard to urbanization that happened in England in the 18^th century. (CBSE 2014, 2015)

1. Ties between members of the household loosened, and among the working class, the institution of marriage tended to break down.

2. Women of the upper and middle classes in Britain, faced higher-levels of isolation, though their lives were made easier by domestic maids who worked on low wages. On the other hand, women who worked for wages had some control over their lives, particularly among the lower social classes.

3. The new city which encouraged a spirit of individualism (more focus on the individual) among both men and women failed to give women an equal access to the new urban sphere.

4. Women gradually lost their industrial jobs and were forced to withdraw into the domestic sphere i.e. their homes. The public space thus became a male preserve.

5. By the twentieth century, however, the urban family had been transformed because women were employed in large no. to meet the war demands. The family now consisted of much smaller units.

NOTE – The Industrial Revolution that took place in Britain changed the form of urbanization in the modern period. With the development of industries, lives of the people in cities were affected both socially and economically. Though individual identity was given importance, the question of women working in industries was raised. Various movements responded to this change. Therefore, a long-series of events transformed the lives of people and the ‘family’ as a whole.