"Civilization, therefore, or that which is so-called, has operated two ways: to make one part of society more affluent, and the other more wretched, than would have been the lot of either in a natural state." -- Thomas Paine (b. 1737-02-09[*], d. 1809-06-08), Agrarian Justice (written 1795, published 1797)
[*] In the calendar in use at the time: 1736-01-29. The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Great Britain and her colonies during Paine's lifetime, in 1752.)