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Do you think a feudal peasant had a better quality of life than the modern labour aristocratic proletariat? (lemmygrad.ml)

submitted 6 days ago by ProletarianLandlord@lemmygrad.ml to c/asklemmygrad@lemmygrad.ml

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I have not looked into any sources on what life was like for a feudal peasant. However, I've heard that peasants had more holidays and rest. I also believe the life of a peasant was more communal and satisfactory with religion being a central feature. This, to me, is a stark contrast to the life of the modern proletariat in the Global North who often lives for work, is more and more isolated, and maybe gets only a month off work. Yes, we have higher life expectancy now (quantity) but I cant help but think that peasants had a better quality of life. Please educate me on this topic and provide some sources to look at. Thank you! 🙏

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[–] maodun@lemmygrad.ml 16 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I mean, purely on the medical part, I'd say no. Dentistry and lowering infant mortality rate along with lowering maternity mortality rate is a very very very recent thing, although dispersal and access to these qualities aren't evenly distributed today, globally and even among class divides in the imperial core.

Anyway, I just can't imagine likely dying to childbirth in the course of having 10+ kids where 3-4 survive to adulthood if you're lucky being Better :/

!! Also no baby formula. If you have a hard time producing [enough] milk (this is a common problem!) your infant is likely to have a hard time thriving. Animal milks are NOT a substitute for human milk for an infant. Peasant women who recently had a child/still produced milk would often be the ones providing nursemaid services for higher class families. Many other points about pests (even royalty had fleas...) and hygiene also. I'm yammering a lot but obligatory: technological progress in these measures aren't necessarily brought about by specific economic models, eg not specifically capitalism in and of itself.

[–] ProletarianLandlord@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 5 days ago

I agree on the medical side of things. I accept that we have a higher life expectancy than people did then. I was more interested in comparing the quality of life. This includes things like happiness, community, and so on...