Not to get all Christmasy at this inopportune time, but the very interesting podcast "The Rest is History" which is two brit history profs going all in depthy on various history topics did a recent one about the Dickensian London of "A Christmas Carol" which was very interesting. Lots of discussion of the politics of Dickens. Which were very Thatcher/H.W. Bush/Peggy Noonan-y. Instead of raising everyone out of poverty, the upper middle class should get everyone a turkey at Christmas. Good behavior by the people who have is the solution to suffering.
I can see how that would have appealed broadly to a large British and American middle class who could buy magazines for serialized novels.