the changes in the composition of the urban lower class that occurred at this time, while leading to the differentiation and greater independence of the working class, also precipitated a shift in the occupation structure of slum dwellers. the most important of these changes was that affecting the largest occupational category in slum districts, rickshaw operators, whose numbers fell dramatically with the development and installation of electrically powered city transport. part of the displaced operators were transformed into ordinary manual laborers or took up miscellaneous jobs.