Population

The population of the United Kingdom had been experiencing steady growth since the mid-18th Century, with acceleration into the 19th Century, largely attributed to advances in agriculture, which improved food supply, and healthcare, leading to lower mortality rates.
The Census of 1851 revealed a significant demographic shift as urban areas began to host more inhabitants than rural areas, signifying the rise of industrial cities and urban migration.
Higher literacy rates and rising incomes in urban regions fostered an expanding market for books and newspapers, reflecting a shift towards a more informed and engaged populace.

Charles Darwin's groundbreaking publications, including On the Origin of Species, faced substantial resistance in Victorian England, primarily due to their perceived threat to traditional Christian beliefs and societal norms.
Many scientists initially rejected his conclusions, viewing them as contrary to established religious views that held creationism as the basis of life.
Over several decades, acceptance of Darwinian theory grew as empirical evidence supporting evolutionary mechanisms accumulated, aligning with Victorian ideals of progress and rational thought, thus facilitating broader acceptance of these ideas.
Conversely, opposition was notably stronger in America, particularly in the post-Civil War context, where societal devastation undermined confidence in notions of continuous societal progress.

The aftermath of the Civil War led to various responses in the South, including a heavier reliance on ancient religious traditions and the scapegoating of perceived outsiders blamed for societal decline.
In this context, there was an intensified adoption of literal interpretations of biblical texts, particularly focusing on the stories of Genesis, which provided existential context; Exodus, which offered visions of liberation; and Leviticus, which supplied a moral framework for personal conduct.
The rejection of outside philosophies, notably Darwin’s theory of evolution, became prevalent as it was seen as undermining the fundamental tenets of traditional faith.

The rise of evolution paralleled increased public school attendance in the early 20th Century, particularly in rural Southern areas, where acceptance of evolution was notably weak.
Opposition to evolution transformed into a central tenet of American fundamentalism, which actively rejected modern scientific ideas perceived as challenging traditional Christian beliefs.
Fundamentalists viewed the embrace of evolution as a marker of moral decay within society, a sentiment that intensified during America's involvement in World War I, leading to heightened cultural tensions.
This period also birthed fears that modernism and evolutionary theory were influenced by German philosophies, which many Americans associated with loss and corruption.

Following World War I, a surge in labor strikes and fears of communism among the populace exacerbated concerns among fundamentalists regarding the impact of modernity on Christianity's role in society.
The terminology defining “working classes” and “middle classes” emerged in the early 19th Century, resulting in a more stratified social structure characterized by distinct socioeconomic divisions.
Despite rising social movements advocating for reform, the upper class continued to maintain significant political control, leaving working-class individuals and families feeling increasingly disenfranchised and marginalized.

The Industrial Revolution further intensified social stratification, manifesting stark distinctions among various worker classes.
Skilled laborers organized into trade unions to protect their interests, while unskilled workers and a growing underclass faced rampant exploitation and poor working conditions, deepening socioeconomic divides.
Despite various social upheavals, the class structure remained stable, contradicting Marxist predictions of inevitable class conflict leading to revolution.

Capitalism is systematically defined as a socio-economic system characterized by the ownership of capital, which is essential for conducting financial operations and investments.
It describes an ideology that favors the accumulation and investment of capital by individuals known as capitalists, who drive economic growth.
The character Robinson Crusoe, from Daniel Defoe’s novel, serves as an archetype of the bourgeois Puritan and proto-capitalist, embodying traits such as labor, resourcefulness, self-discipline, and individualism—all valued traits in capitalism.
Critics of capitalism, such as Joyce and Marx, engaged in critiques and analyses of narratives surrounding capitalistic representations in literature, questioning its ethical implications and societal impact.