I agree with Daas Yochid that undoubtedly there is more learning now than in pre war Europe. And as many, including R’ Shach z’l recognized, much of that is due to the establishment of the medina.
Though the numbers weren’t tiny, and as Alan Dershowitz recounts in his book “Chutzpah” seeing a damaged gemoro in one of his trips to Poland with the label “property of the wagon drivers learning society”, many working people, everyday Jews, who weren’t learning in Kollel, and were working hard every day, were kovewah itim leTorah. There was much learning going on, and the concept of doing it to the exclusion of working – for the masses – is an entirely new concept.
Maybe I should quote the chasam sofer here? If chodosh osur min hatorah, then…..