I remember a National Geographic article from decades ago about the Roman Empire and how most of its people lived. I remember how it said that, even then, over 90% of the population was rural---and lived in what can only be called desperate poverty. It would seem that China and maybe India were the same way till recently. How many other societies were? We don't know, but I'd put money on some appalling similarities.

Could you ask your wife if the Inca Empire was like that, for example?