"The whole idea of a salary is relatively new, since the industrial revolution" Actually salaries are much more ancient than that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wi

"The whole idea of a salary is relatively new, since the industrial revolution" Actually salaries are much more ancient than that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_legion#Pay https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_legion#Pay Basic pay for a member of a Roman legion was 225 denarii per year, later increased to 300, and then again increased to 500 to adjust for inflation. Higher ranked officers received higher salaries.