Doesn’t Yuval Harari argue in Sapiens that humanity was actually better off on a per capita basis prior to the Agricultural Revolution when we were primarily hunter gatherers? If I recall correctly Harari makes the point that the net effect of the Agricultural Revolution was to increase total food output and allow for the development of much larger societies. But the resulting Malthusian stagnation left the average person no better off compared to the average individual during the hunter gatherer era.
The Industrial Revolution truly was special in allowing us to finally break out of the Malthusian trap. As a non-economist, I’m always amazed by the extent to which people undervalue the importance of technological innovation. Labor is important, but it seems to me that the possibilities of production afforded to labor by technology are what ultimately drive long term growth and prosperity.
Doesn’t Yuval Harari argue in Sapiens that humanity was actually better off on a per capita basis prior to the Agricultural Revolution when we were primarily hunter gatherers? If I recall correctly Harari makes the point that the net effect of the Agricultural Revolution was to increase total food output and allow for the development of much larger societies. But the resulting Malthusian stagnation left the average person no better off compared to the average individual during the hunter gatherer era.
The Industrial Revolution truly was special in allowing us to finally break out of the Malthusian trap. As a non-economist, I’m always amazed by the extent to which people undervalue the importance of technological innovation. Labor is important, but it seems to me that the possibilities of production afforded to labor by technology are what ultimately drive long term growth and prosperity.