A preindustrial city is characterised by a relatively small population, often consisting of only a few thousand people living within its borders, and a social structure marked by a relatively closed class system with limited opportunities for social mobility. These cities typically have an economy based on agriculture, trade, or small-scale manufacturing, with social status largely determined by ascribed characteristics such as birth, family connections, and land ownership rather than individual achievement. The pace of social and economic change in preindustrial cities is generally slower compared to industrial or post-industrial cities, and social life is often more traditional and community-oriented, with less anonymity and more face-to-face interaction.