Whereas the common law protected habitation and sources of wealth and food in a largely agricultural society, the Industrial Revolution, especially the Luddism resulting from workers' perceived threats to their livelihood, required new legislation to match the circumstances.
On the other hand, whereas traditional common law protected homes and means of support and nourishment in rural communities, the advent of the Industrial Revolution, especially the Luddite movement that arose from employees' anxieties regarding their job stability, necessitated the creation of new laws to reflect the evolving situation.