> It is only the desire to escape the cotton fields and sweatshops that spurs people to work. Why do rich people work? They don't need to escape the cotton fi

> It is only the desire to escape the cotton fields and sweatshops that spurs people to work. Why do rich people work? They don't need to escape the cotton fields and sweatshops. Slaves worked the American cotton fields - why did they work with no chance of membership in the elite? I'm pretty sure people in 1860 justified slavery with the same argument "It is the only reason that our world has seen amazing advancements in science, technology and business."