I never lived in the 1800's but I have studied their life-styles quiet extensively. Back then - people were not afraid of hard work. In fact, it never entered their minds to be lazy. If someone in the community was lazy, they were considered abnormal and were given a bad name. The State agencies spent millions of dollars trying to motive him to go out and find a job and work like he is supposed to.
Employers sometimes contribute to the madness also.
It sometimes feels like hard working people are fighting a losing battle. Sure - you can cheat the welfare system and get free benefits for awhile, but pretty soon they will track you down. Sure - you can sit on the couch and watch television while your spouse goes out and works 2 jobs, but you'll never have any true financial rewards in life. Sure - you can forge credit cards, set up scams, write bad checks and steal innocent people's money, but you won't get anywhere. You only are taking care of your needs at the present time - never building security, pride and respect for yourself.