Before the advent of industrialization, people used to spend their entire lives in one place. There was hardly any reason to move about. Agriculture was the backbone of the economy and farmers cultivated the land close to the place where they lived. Most of them also reared livestock because of these reasons; they had to stay in the same place throughout the year.
The situation is quite different now. Plenty of jobs are available in the cities, and this has encouraged rural people to leave their homes and migrate to urban areas. While agriculture still sustains many economies, more jobs are available in other sectors.
Fewer means of transportation existed one or two centuries ago. This also limited people’s ability to move about. However, now we can travel by land, air and water. Trains and aeroplanes have made long-distance travel quite easy and affordable. The ease of travelling also encourages people to move to different places. Villagers migrate to cities in search of jobs and a better standard of living. People also travel for pleasure.
This is a positive trend because it makes our lives more enjoyable. When we live in different places, we get to interact with people of different cultures. We get to learn from them. This will broaden the horizons of our thinking and also make us more tolerant. People who live in the same place tend to have a limited understanding of the world around them. On the other hand, those who have lived in different places are more knowledgeable.
To conclude, industrialization and improved means of transportation are the factors that encourage people to move about. This is a positive trend because it fosters cultural mingling. It is also suitable for the economy.