This century was marked by vast industrial development, by factories and gadgets, extravagance and pollution, mass poverty and charity. The world became ever more crowded, with the population of Europe more than doubling between 1800 and 1900. As urban life grew increasingly grimy, country life was plagued by poor harvests and crop disease, leading to famine and food riots. As in the previous century, there were vast population shifts, with many moving from the country to the city in search of work. The poor provided cheap labour to fill the factories, an essential component of the burgeoning industrial economy. At the same time, the middle classes were growing, as trade and industry led many into higher-status jobs - the industrial world was thirsty for bankers, shippers, clerks and managers.http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/booksforcooks/1800s/1800sfood.html

As in present day life mostly lower class citizens were the ones affected by the famine which was occurring which led to rioting ,which is not present in todays societies when it comes to such issues.The poor were used to provide labor for cheap, so as they fell deeper into the social slums those of the higher classes moved up. Seems like the world has not changed at all huh?