In this classic text of social history, Harold Perkin explores the emergence of a new form of class society in Victorian England, which differed radically from early modern society. He locates the origins of the modern English class system in the Industrial Revolution, the impact of which went beyond economy and technology, and changed the ways of living and perceptions of the English people in many ways. maintains its influence as a comprehensive and integrative survey of a crucial period in the development of English society.