Within cities this was common, yet the vast majority of the population did not live there and was &quot;employed&quot; in other ways.<p>For someone living an agricultural lifestyle things weren&#x27;t great, you did have to appease your land-owner, but usually that was facilitated by paying a portion of your crop as rent. During the winter months when you had little to do other than care for livestock, things were pretty laid back.<p>We&#x27;re a lot less self-sufficient than we used to be, and this is perhaps irreversible. Nobody can be expected to make their own medication, to build their own computer from sand.