In what way is the "counter-social autonomy" that led to religious freedom, democracy, and the end of slavery a blind alley? The social structures of antiquity

In what way is the "counter-social autonomy" that led to religious freedom, democracy, and the end of slavery a blind alley? The social structures of antiquity (European or otherwise) were horrible. We should be grateful to the people who had the courage to defy those social norms.