What ideas underpined mid-victorian england (C.1850-80) as a classically liberal and quiescent society - and how was this changing by the 1880s?

What ideas underpinned mid-Victorian England (C .1850-80 ) as a classically liberal and quiescent society - and how was this changing by the 1880s

Introduction

The mid-Victorian period can be characterized as a period of prosperity and economic freedom although according to Arnold Hauser and Jonathan Harris the social problems during this time were mostly unresolved Among the dominant ideas during this period were entrepreneurship and innovations which brought economic prosperity during the mid-Victorian period , and the quest for self determination in which the main objective is to limit the state 's

interference in both the economic and social spheres . Francois Crouzet (1982 ) calls this idea as the high noon of liberalism (p . 105 ) or the age of laissez-faire ' in which the basic principle of is that the welfare of both the community and the individuals is best serve when the markets for good , capitals , land labour , and so on , are left to the free play of supply and demand (Crouzet ,

. 105

The mid-Victorian period as an age of prosperity and pacification

In contrast to the early Victorian age , the mid-Victorian period is an age characterized by relative prosperity as England according to Hauser and Harris , becomes the `workshop of the world , prices rise , the living conditions of the working class are improved , socialism is rendered harmless , the political ascendancy of the bourgeoisie is consolidated (Hauser , A Harris J . 1999 ,

. 122 . During this time although the social problems remain , Hauser and Harris noted that the sharp edge ' of these social problems is removed (p . 122 . The relative economic prosperity enjoyed by the society that can be attributed to the benefit of industrialization , had persuaded intellectuals to seldom discuss the social problems , but draft great pictures of society and renouncing the propagation of social-political thesis

Thus , the dominant ideas during this time were entrepreneurship and innovation that had brought economic prosperity and growth . Crouzet cited that , Britain had numerous groups of entrepreneurs who were active , dynamic and bold , ready to size every profit opportunity , open to technological progress . in the favorable atmosphere of a society which placed high value on material success (p . 104 . However the free play of trade and commerce were not really that smooth that it breeds revolutionary endeavors which demanded reforms

The idea of economic reforms

The early part of the mid-Victorian period can be described as a quiescent society because generally , people were enjoying the economic benefit of industrialization . However , this relative economic prosperity did not solve the economic effects and the social hardship brought by the industrialization of England . The economic effects of industrialization , according to George Finlayson (1994 , are dependent on the emphasis on provident behavior which he identified as the `optimistic and pessimistic interpretation (p 22 . The pessimistic interpretation according to him is `the need for improvement through mutual help ' which is a help from within ' or from within a group of likeminded persons who came together to meet common needs and advance common interest (Finlayson ,

. 22 ) The optimistic interpretation of the...