A lot of these 'peasants' work 40 hours or more a week for the minimum wage, cannot afford to buy a house so live in rented houses instead.  Some people are only moderately educated this is the goverments fault when they were in school.  One question who would do the low paid jobs?  Its a load of rubbish to say if you work hard you will be better off, what you mean is you will be more likely to be better off if you work hard.  My mum worked full time and brought up 5 boys when you didn't get family credit then, we lived in a council house, she always paid the billls and always put a good meal on the table.  She now has bad arthritis so cannot work and is hardup.