> 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.
It seems unreasonable to expect others to provide sources when you don't source your own information.
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.