> Before the industrial revolution, most people were farmers.
That's not really true.
OK, perhaps it was only true in Europe.
There were many other things one could be: craftsman, trader, and many other occupations.
That's not really true.
OK, perhaps it was only true in Europe.
There were many other things one could be: craftsman, trader, and many other occupations.
That's quite a bold statement. Do you have a source to back it up?
If that was the case, there wouldn't be such a thing as a city or a civilization.
From what I understand, most people in Europe were peasants because the ruling class wouldn't let them be anything else, not because it was the only sustainable choice economically.
1790: US Total population: 3,929,214; farmers 90% of labor force.
1840: Total US population: 17,069,453; farm population; 9,012,000 (est.); farmers 69% of labor force
That took too long to find. The data backing that up is also available in Global shift by Peter Dicken http://amzn.to/avt5eU
I didn't think the statement was bold at all, but granted I was a TA for a course on Global Food & Hunger.
It seems unreasonable to expect others to provide sources when you don't source your own information.