Examine the factors that led to poor living and working conditions for the urban working class.

The question requires that candidates consider the interrelationship between a number of factors and poor living and working conditions. Factors to be considered could include political attitudes, overpopulation, industrialization and the poor infrastructure of towns and cities. Laissez-faire beliefs argued against government intervention in the economy or on social conditions. There were limited ineffective attempts to reform working conditions, and a reluctance to increase taxation to pay for social reform left this to local authorities and charity. Overpopulation was a major factor. The population doubled in the first half of the 19th century and continued to grow. Urban areas had poor infrastructure (little clean water or effective sewerage systems). There was very little change to the 1850s, some may argue that the widening of the electorate led to governments being more willing to enact reforms to gain working class support but that this process was gradual. It was not until the first decade of the twentieth century that governments began to attempt to establish a more equitable society (pre-war Liberal reforms).