<i>Measured by the amount of labour required to live a comfortable life?</i><p>How do you define a &quot;comfortable life&quot;?  I&#x27;m thinking the goal posts are constantly moving and that&#x27;s why people think things were better back in the 1970&#x27;s.  Not blaming anyone for it, it&#x27;s the human condition to always want things to be better.<p>Let&#x27;s see:
1940&#x27;s - WW2, America is <i>just</i> coming out of a 15 year recession
1950&#x27;s - Constant threat of nuclear war, Korean War, economically things are looking up
1960&#x27;s - Numerous race riots, economy is still doing relatively well
1970&#x27;s - Rampant inflation, rather stagflation, gas shortages<p>I&#x27;ve asked my family (older generations) and they agree things are way better now.  And they aren&#x27;t what you&#x27;d even call middle class.