I'd disagree that it's always been this way. In the 1950's, in the US, a man could have a basic job (my dad delivered milk to homes) and still afford a stay-at-home wife, a house, and to send his kids to private school. The Teamsters Union was very powerful, mostly honest, and everyone profited. These circumstances created the greatest economy this planet has ever seen. Bridges/roads were build, healthcare was available to most - hell, we even sent a man to the moon. Reasonable corporate management pay was the norm.
Enter corporate greed. That shameful "Raw Knee Ray Gun" bullsh!t of trickle down economics and union busting started to corrode the system. More and more, profits over people became the word of the day.
This was SUPPOSED to be the golden age of The Jetsons. We are on the verge of flying cars, technology is performing menial jobs. There are now McDonald's restaurants with NO EMPLOYEES. There are enough resources on this planet to give everyone the basic necessities of food, housing and healthcare. Corporate greed has literally gone off the scale and those at the bottom of the human social ladder are dying of starvation and/or thirst.
Something's gotta give. As a species, this is not sustainable.