[zdragnar]

The problem is that subsistence and low-yield agriculture families weren't significant consumers in the first place. Taking them out of the economy and pushing their children into industry increased demand for goods and services as they became dependent upon buying food, rent and goods they previously weren't buying.

Gutting a ton of jobs across many sectors in the economy won't change demand for food or rent, but will likely hurt every service sector and slow the economy down overall as people without jobs push out purchases they would have made otherwise.