In this model the worker was used very much as an animal, exploited for low wages and discarded when no longer able to do his task.In some ways he was worse off than a slave whose master had some incentive to clothe, feed and care for him to maximise his productivity.

If a man fell sick or was injured and could no longer work then he and his family starved and had to seek charity.

When work was in short supply then men were simply put off work.

People got work where and when they could. There was no choice.

Some workers were hired by the year in farming and their housing would be tied to their place of work The man who did not get hired would be forced into the uncertainty of daily hire for low level labouring jobs.The annual hiring and moving would produce considerable social disruption.