Final answer:
For most of recorded history, economic growth has been slow and inconsistent, with the standard of living remaining largely unchanged for the average person until the Industrial Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
For most of recorded history, economic growth has been slow and inconsistent. This is due to the fact that, prior to the last two centuries, the average person's standard of living did not change much. Although there were periods where certain classes, such as rulers, nobles, and conquerors, enjoyed some level of wealth and affluence, overall economic development was relatively stagnant for the masses. It is only with the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the early nineteenth century that we see the beginning of what economists term modern economic growth, characterized by increased worker productivity and trade, leading to more consistent and rapid growth in GDP per capita