Spread of Magical Training

Historically, the practice of magic was the exclusive domain of isolated covens, wealthy city-state guilds, or the immensely powerful Noble Houses. The techniques of magic were fiercely guarded secrets passed down mostly via bloodlines; a commoner had virtually no chance of ever learning to shape mana.

The Democratization of Magic

The disastrous casualties inflicted upon the Great Houses during the Splinter Wars and immediately followed by The Weeping nearly exterminated the traditional battlemage class. The aggressive "Big Three" nations of Altazia realized they could no longer rely on aristocrats to fight wars.

Combining this need with the massive spike in literacy driven by the Technological Revolution, the states established massive, subsidized Academies of Magical Arts (such as the prestigious one in Cyoria). These academies actively recruit magically talented commoners, teaching state-standardized magic en masse.

Consequences

While this has resulted in an incredible democratization of arcane power and a booming magical middle class, it has deeply angered the surviving Nobility, whose historical privileges and power base are rapidly evaporating.

Furthermore, police forces severely struggle to adapt. The proliferation of magic means practically anyone could possess the means to commit magical theft, murder with fire, or manipulate minds, leading to a drastic spike in highly sophisticated, arcane crime.