Author Chelsea Follett challenges idealised views of life before the Industrial Revolution in “The Grim Old Days”, which the publisher, Cato Institute, lists as available starting Tuesday.
Subtitled “An Introduction to the Preindustrial Past”, the book examines everyday hardship through historical research and firsthand accounts, according to its publisher.
Follett’s argument centres on the gap between nostalgic images of rural life and accounts of poverty, disease and harsh working conditions. Rather than presenting the past as peaceful and prosperous, she focuses on the difficulties ordinary people faced.
Subjects include bloodletting, poor sanitation and famine. Cato’s description also identifies child abuse and streets used as open sewers among the book’s examples.
Follett is a research fellow at Cato’s Centre for Global Liberty and Prosperity, where she works with HumanProgress.org.
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The publisher lists endorsements from Steven Pinker, Matt Ridley and economist Joel Mokyr. In his endorsement, Mokyr calls the book “mandatory reading” for those who question the benefits of economic growth.
Cato will host a discussion with Follett in Washington on November 5, with journalists Emma Camp and Dominic Pino joining her.
