On the whole.... how would you define that? The mean? The median? If it's mean, he may have a point because the richest people don't have to work for many thousands of years each. But the median person is likely under poverty level.

And better..... also what is the definition of that? More money? More free time? Less crime/risk of injury? Etc.

And then there's the case that it doesn't matter if it's "better" than it was however arbitrary time ago, it matters that it could be better for a massively greater percentage of people. But in the current state it is only insanely better for only a select few, and nearly the same for the vast majority of people.