3 ms·

Roman Empire per capita GDP shows the Romans were poorer than any 2015 country Take away iPhones, cable bills, insurance, college, cars....and you may do just

Roman Empire per capita GDP shows the Romans were poorer than any 2015 country Take away iPhones, cable bills, insurance, college, cars....and you may do just fine (eat 1-2 times a day :)) with their Capita GDP.

rpedela 9y ago
At that GDP, also take away vaccines, antibiotics, refrigeration, sanitation...and you are living like them with high mortality. Almost every person living in a modern country is living better than all the kings, nobles, emperors, etc in all of history. There are still plenty of poor people who we should help, but "poor" is relative historically.
- jszymborski 9y ago
  Just because vaccines, antibiotics, and refrigeration exist, it doesn't mean there is universal access to them. I think the references to "almost every person" and "modern country" are sweeping away a lot more people than you let on.
  - rpedela 9y ago
    Here are some stats on vaccines in the US [1]. You can do your own research on the rest, but I think you'll find the numbers to be extremely high. Even homeless people, who I am not counting, in the US have some access to those things. My wife, a clinical pharmacist, is always giving antibiotics to the homeless who come to the ER for free. I know the US the best, but I would be surprised if other modern countries weren't similar in terms of basic healthcare, sanitation, etc. We can of course argue what "modern country" means. 1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/immunize.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/immunize.htm
  - rsynnott 9y ago
    Certain vaccines are almost universal; in particular, that's how smallpox was eliminated.
- WalterBright 9y ago
  Access to fresh food year around is a huge deal, too.
- jxramos 9y ago
  poor being relative historically sounds consistent with things I've read from Thomas Sowell. I remember him using Air Conditioning as an example... """Looking back over the years, as old-timers are apt to do, I see huge changes, both for the better and for the worse. In material things, there has been almost unbelievable progress. Most Americans did not have refrigerators back in 1930, when I was born. Television was little more than an experiment, and such things as air-conditioning or air travel were only for the very rich. My own family did not have electricity or hot running water, in my early childhood, which was not unusual for blacks in the South in those days. It is hard to convey to today's generation the fear that the paralyzing disease of polio inspired, until vaccines put an abrupt end to its long reign of terror in the 1950s. Most people living in officially defined poverty in the 21st century have things like cable television, microwave ovens and air-conditioning. Most Americans did not have such things, as late as the 1980s. People whom the intelligentsia continue to call the "have-nots" today have things that the "haves" did not have, just a generation ago.""" https://www.creators.com/read/thomas-sowell/12/16/farewell https://www.creators.com/read/thomas-sowell/12/16/farewell
ppeetteerr 9y ago
Also take away multiple garments, shoes, a varied diet, modern hygiene, daily transportation.

rpedela 9y ago

At that GDP, also take away vaccines, antibiotics, refrigeration, sanitation...and you are living like them with high mortality. Almost every person living in a modern country is living better than all the kings, nobles, emperors, etc in all of history. There are still plenty of poor people who we should help, but "poor" is relative historically.

jszymborski 9y ago
Just because vaccines, antibiotics, and refrigeration exist, it doesn't mean there is universal access to them. I think the references to "almost every person" and "modern country" are sweeping away a lot more people than you let on.
- rpedela 9y ago
  Here are some stats on vaccines in the US [1]. You can do your own research on the rest, but I think you'll find the numbers to be extremely high. Even homeless people, who I am not counting, in the US have some access to those things. My wife, a clinical pharmacist, is always giving antibiotics to the homeless who come to the ER for free. I know the US the best, but I would be surprised if other modern countries weren't similar in terms of basic healthcare, sanitation, etc. We can of course argue what "modern country" means. 1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/immunize.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/immunize.htm
- rsynnott 9y ago
  Certain vaccines are almost universal; in particular, that's how smallpox was eliminated.
WalterBright 9y ago
Access to fresh food year around is a huge deal, too.
jxramos 9y ago
poor being relative historically sounds consistent with things I've read from Thomas Sowell. I remember him using Air Conditioning as an example... """Looking back over the years, as old-timers are apt to do, I see huge changes, both for the better and for the worse. In material things, there has been almost unbelievable progress. Most Americans did not have refrigerators back in 1930, when I was born. Television was little more than an experiment, and such things as air-conditioning or air travel were only for the very rich. My own family did not have electricity or hot running water, in my early childhood, which was not unusual for blacks in the South in those days. It is hard to convey to today's generation the fear that the paralyzing disease of polio inspired, until vaccines put an abrupt end to its long reign of terror in the 1950s. Most people living in officially defined poverty in the 21st century have things like cable television, microwave ovens and air-conditioning. Most Americans did not have such things, as late as the 1980s. People whom the intelligentsia continue to call the "have-nots" today have things that the "haves" did not have, just a generation ago.""" https://www.creators.com/read/thomas-sowell/12/16/farewell https://www.creators.com/read/thomas-sowell/12/16/farewell

ppeetteerr 9y ago

Also take away multiple garments, shoes, a varied diet, modern hygiene, daily transportation.