Social change and the labouring poor: Antwerp, 1770-1860

This article examines the responses of the laboring poor in Antwerp to socio-economic transformations between 1770 and 1860. It analyzes their various forms of collective action, including the formation of mutual aid societies and early labor activism. The study reveals how these collective efforts provided crucial social protection for the impoverished and laid foundational groundwork for modern social change philanthropy. By highlighting the historical origins of community-based support systems, the authors underscore the resilience and self-organization of working-class communities in the face of industrialization and societal shifts.