You realize that there is a history outside the US? Granting homesteads to settlers on previously unused land has happened quite regularly throughout history all over the world. It even went as far as inviting foreign settlers, who were renown for having desirable trade skills.
From the top of my head there is German originating communities in Russia and Romania and French and Dutch originating communities in Germany because of such measures in the 15th to 19th century.
That the land was previously owned by some monarch doesn’t invalidate the fact, that in its times it was a quite social measure and gave people opportunities they’d otherwise lack.
The second image equally applies to the 50s, 60s and 70s in many western countries, a time where factory labor was mostly free of child labour. Also the comic does show a progression, which of course is a number of periods in time that are limited. I’d argue these times of panel 2 are still very relevant, especially as they mark the divide in perception and action between boomers and earlier generations and generations that are currently in their 20s-40s