Living standards for White South African males were very high before industrialization, with some of the tallest men in the world. Rural living conditions worsened due to natural disasters in the late 1800s and early 1900s, leading many to move to cities. After 1900, living standards improved slightly across all regions and jobs. Even during industrialization, White males in South Africa remained among the tallest in the world, but they did not see the same increase in living standards as other countries did.