Since in colonial North America, many people did not have the luxuries we have now, their entire lives revolved around work. Without a good harvest season or another product to trade for food, a family could easily go hungry and starve to death. As exemplified through Jamestown's "Starving Time," the leader, whose name escapes me at this time, decided that if the colonists were not willing to work, they would not receive any food. The second question is more of an opinion question that I cannot answer for you.
