  The report discusses the emergence of the Socio-Economic Soft Matter (SE-SM)
as the result of interactions between physics and economy. First, demographic
changes since the Industrial Revolution onset are tested using Soft Matter
science tools. Notable in the support of innovative derivative-based and
distortions-sensitive analytic tools. It revealed the Weibull type powered
exponential increase, with a notably lesser rising rate since the crossover
detected near the year 1970. Subsequently, demographic (SE-SM) patterns are
tested for Rapa Nui (Easter) Island model case and for four large 'hallmark
cities' where the rise and decay phases have occurred. They are Detroit and
Cleveland in the USA and Lodz (former textile industry center) and Bytom
(former coal mining center) in Poland. The analysis explicitly revealed scaling
patterns for demographic changes, influenced by the historical and
socio-economic backgrounds and the long-lasting determinism in population
changes. Universalistic features of demographic changes are discussed within
the Socio-Economic Soft Matter concept.
