Even this oversimplification is wrong. Back then we had a bit over a third of the current world population and a much worse standard of living across the globe.

Even this oversimplification is wrong. Back then we had a bit over a third of the current world population and a much worse standard of living across the globe. Progress is about making good tradeoffs, not about picking perfect solutions. Otherwise your logic could get rid of any innovation by ignoring its benefits and saying "it has some problems so let's get rid of it altogether, we somehow survived without it in the past".