In the mid-1800s, England grappled with economic turmoil and widespread unemployment. This instability was a remnant of the Napoleonic era, which concluded in 1815. During this period, England was engaged in war with France. To fund the war, the English government imposed heavy taxes, which, while sparing the wealthy, severely burdened the poor. Prices soared, food became scarce, and inflation escalated. Additionally, the war led to the closure of French and European markets for English goods, causing widespread job losses among workers.

Unemployment was also driven by the rise of machinery in manufacturing, rendering many jobs redundant. For instance, textile manufacturers replaced numerous individual weavers with mechanized looms, requiring only a handful of operators. The displaced workers, known as Luddites, initiated movements to destroy industrial machinery—a crime punishable by death starting in 1811.

Although the Napoleonic War ended in 1815, the suffering persisted. Post-war, England plunged into its worst depression to date. The number of impoverished people surged to crisis levels. Traditionally, each parish was responsible for aiding its poor by distributing money and food. With more people seeking these handouts, some who were employed began accepting assistance anyway. When employers discovered this, they lowered wages, making it impossible for honest workers to survive on their earnings. Additionally, thousands of war veterans returned to England, further swelling the ranks of the unemployed.

During this era, children often endured long hours, every day of the week, in hazardous factories. In 1833, regulations began to address child labor and working conditions.

In 1834, the "Poor Laws" were enacted, mandating that those needing public assistance reside in workhouses, where they were poorly fed and mistreated. The aim was to make public assistance unattractive to the poor, thereby reducing the number of people on assistance and the associated costs. While the plan did save money, it came at a significant cost in human suffering, as Dickens vividly portrays in Oliver Twist.

In 1837, Queen Victoria ascended the English throne, marking the beginning of a long and relatively stable era in English history. This stability, coupled with the growing middle class who were educated enough to read books for leisure and had the means and time to do so, paved the way for the young Dickens to achieve a distinguished career.

Some of Dickens's early readers took issue with Oliver Twist's relatively candid depiction of criminals, pickpockets, and prostitutes. However, what was considered explicit at the time is quite tame by today's standards. Dickens meticulously avoids quoting offensive language directly and provides only the most indirect descriptions of inappropriate behavior. The novel was crafted for a Victorian audience, and as Dickens himself notes in the preface, "a lesson of the purest good may ... be drawn from the vilest evil."

Modern readers might find Dickens's portrayal of Jewish characters more objectionable, although it went largely unnoticed by most Victorians. The original text clearly identifies Fagin as a Jew and even implies that his ethnic background influences his character. Dickens often likens Fagin to the devil, though he never explicitly states this is because Fagin is Jewish. Despite his keen awareness of certain injustices, Dickens could not entirely escape the prejudices of his era, which typically viewed Jews as deceitful and untrustworthy.

1838: The uniqueness of individual fingerprints is not yet recognized, so the criminal justice system depends on eyewitness testimonies, confessions, and general evidence to identify perpetrators.

Today: The criminal justice system has greatly advanced with the use of fingerprinting, DNA analysis, and detailed examination of microscopic evidence, making it far more accurate than during Dickens's era.

1838: In the 1800s, numerous crimes in England are punishable by death. In 1800, the death penalty applies to 200 different offenses. By 1837, reforms have reduced this number to 15 offenses.

Today: England has abolished the death penalty for all crimes.

1838: Laws regulate the movements and daily lives of the poor, who are often confined to "workhouses" or "debtor's prisons," where they suffer from starvation and abuse.

Today: England boasts a comprehensive social welfare system that provides support to the unemployed, the sick, and the elderly.