>The point I'm trying to make is that this Arcadian paradise that conservatives like to call 'back in the day' is really more of a myth.
In some parts of the world yes. In others no.
But not for the reasons the progressives put forward (toil, lack of progress, etc). For political reasons: people being in command of other people.
There were villages and regions all over Europe that such was not the case, and people were free. Sure, you had to work, but that's just as it is now (minus the modern conveniences).
Actually, even in medieval Europe, agrarian societes had so many festivity days that almost half the year was off.
In some parts of the world yes. In others no.
But not for the reasons the progressives put forward (toil, lack of progress, etc). For political reasons: people being in command of other people.
There were villages and regions all over Europe that such was not the case, and people were free. Sure, you had to work, but that's just as it is now (minus the modern conveniences).
Actually, even in medieval Europe, agrarian societes had so many festivity days that almost half the year was off.