The Preindustrial City, Past and Present

Gideon Sjoberg's work distinguishes between preindustrial and industrial cities based on their technological level. Preindustrial cities, found in societies lacking advanced machine technology, relied on human and animal labor for economic production. Their neighborhoods were characterized by strong personalistic ties, such as ethnicity and sectarian allegiance, and maintained robust family connections with little social disorganization. Sacred institutions, like churches, often dominated the urban landscape and cultural beliefs, with imperial administration being a primary urban function rather than industrial production. In contrast, industrial cities emerged with advanced industrial capitalism and became centers for commodity production, wage labor, and ancillary functions like banking and trade. They experienced rapid population growth through migration, leading to diverse ethnic neighborhoods and often segregation.123