Hunter-gathering was an amazingly good lifestyle when only a few people were doing it. As soon as the density increases you start going hungry/running out of an

Hunter-gathering was an amazingly good lifestyle when only a few people were doing it. As soon as the density increases you start going hungry/running out of animals/getting into fights about food etc. Swiddening (Agriculture but you move every year) was safer but much harder work by comparison. Higher population densities became possible. Fixed field agriculture was safer still, but much harder again. Higher densities again. Historically the people doing this were not usually permitted to leave (eg frequent proclamations banning them from abandoning their lands, soldiers brought in to round up those who had and bring them back to work).