I feel one should take a moment to think about why we've been so political for the last 200 years and why it started during democratic revolutions. Before then the vast majority of people had little power and thus no need for politics. Those with power (lords, kings, court members, etc.) were very political all the time. The rest did what the king and lord said or died. Ones opinions and thoughts and desires didn't directly matter. Then democracy came about and your opinions and thoughts matter. You can influence policy without risk of death, you can change the forces that drive a decent chunk of your existence. Political decisions impact your life and the lives of those around you so it is logical to try to shift them to your benefit if possible. It's simply that in the past that wasn't possible or risked your death.

I'll take being political over being a slave any day of the week.

edit: Also, in the past I'm sure people were political but locally within the scope they were allowed to influence. They couldn't tell the king what to do but maybe they could get their local parish priest to help them instead of the neighbor they hate. It's just like how HOAs are political nowadays.