True. On the other hand, historically, perhaps the majority of humans since the invention of agriculture have lived lives of what we would regard as continual drudge work, poverty, little or no protection from authority, and very little opportunity for advancement. Until recently, philosophers—and everyone else—took it for granted that this was how the world would always work. Certainly some “slaves” were privileged, but by the same token, huge numbers of nominally “free” people had it worse than canonical house elves. Even today, this is how it is for many, many people.
True. On the other hand, historically, perhaps the majority of humans since the invention of agriculture have lived lives of what we would regard as continual drudge work, poverty, little or no protection from authority, and very little opportunity for advancement. Until recently, philosophers—and everyone else—took it for granted that this was how the world would always work. Certainly some “slaves” were privileged, but by the same token, huge numbers of nominally “free” people had it worse than canonical house elves. Even today, this is how it is for many, many people.