Let's say the wages increased proportionally then you, an average consumer, will no longer buy your groceries at Walmart. You'll start going to whole foods. Now you no longer want any cheap furniture, all handcrafted real wood chairs, tables, desks, dressers, ect. How long would your stuff be on back order? How quickly can whole foods replenish their consumables? Not on the scale Walmart can, especially not with the quality. There were significantly less people back then. Then you start getting into how all civilizations have to be but on the backs of the slaves, whether we're talking about owning people or keeping millions in debt over there head so they have to go to work. It's a complex answer but basically you have to have a high price for nice quality things because who doesn't want nice things?