In the Introduction Engels outlines the gradual changes leading to the formation of the proletariat. Before the mid-18th century, weaver families lived in small towns or villages and owned some land. Their main source of income was the production of cloth, and they could work as much or as little as necessary and spend the rest of the time tending their land or socializing. The entire family would help with the weaving process, but the children who lived at home would not be expected to toil for 10 or 12 hours a day. At that time in England there was one market and practically no competition, as weaver families lived at some distance from each other. The entire production process happened under the same roof.

Similarly, small land owners, or yeomen, used to be mostly self-sufficient and produced as much as they needed, with the small amount of surplus traded for goods they could not produce themselves.

Overall, the author paints an idyllic picture of country life, which he believes can still be found in some places in Germany. However, such a lifestyle made people “intellectually […] dead” (52). The majority could not read or write, and they were not concerned with politics.