Why was labor cheaper?

Labor was cheaper because people had more work to do and less time to rest.

Imagine you're playing with your toys, and there are only 10 blocks in the box. You can build a big tower fast because there aren’t too many pieces. But if there were 100 blocks, it would take longer, even if you’re really good at stacking.

Back then, most people worked on farms or in big fields, and they had to do the same job every day, like planting seeds or harvesting crops. There wasn’t much time to rest or play. So their work was hard, but it also meant there were more workers around, making labor cheaper.

Think about it like playing tag with 10 kids versus playing with 100. With fewer players, the game is faster and easier, just like having fewer workers means each person can be paid less because there's more work to go around.

That’s how labor could feel cheaper, like a game that goes on longer and harder for everyone involved.