Civilian life in Ishgard

Ok so maybe this has been discussed, but I couldn't really find any info on this exact topic. Also I'm not super far in the storyline so maybe this is elaborated on more later, in which case I apologize!

What is life like for civilians in Ishgard? I know there is a huge military busy with the dragons, and can imagine how they might live. I know about the religious rulers, and the high houses, and imagine they must have a comparatively pleasant existence. But what is life like for the average Ishgardian?

Things are obviously bleak, they clearly have food shortages (touched on at Whitebrim), loads of them are dying in the conflict with Dravania, and being ruled over by a theocracy can't be too fun. So how is this effecting them? Are the average people treated as basically nothing more than servants to higher class citizens? How are they recruited into the military? I'm assuming it's not a choice, right? What level of freedom do they have?

Which leads me to my next question: Why don't we see/hear of Ishgardian refugees? Why wouldn't people be leaving? The chef at Costa del Sol is Ishgardian, and the Ishgardian elezen in the bar in Revenant's Toll explains that she originally only left for some kind of business trip but decided not to go back. So it seems like it's possible to leave? If things are so bad why isn't their a wave of refugees?

Not much is talked about Ishgardian poor. But I do think the one's that do manage to leave ishgard they end up going to Gridania.

Not only is it right next to Ishgard, it's also where there's alot of Elezens and nearly as xenophobic/ isolationist as Ishgard. The chocobo breeders in Bentbranch meadows are ishgardian. The lancers guild originally had ties with Ishgard.

Some minor spoilers below:

There are supposed to be a fair amount of poor folk who live outside the city. I recall one npc warning us that heretics will be refused in every hamlet if they run from inquisitors. There s also Elline the flame traitor who took enemy coin because she was a poor ishgardian who did unsavory things to escape poverty. They have very little chance for upward mobility, since Aymeric tells us his is an extraordinary case of a non-noble achieving the highest rank in the military, but only by some smart political maneuvering.

But yes, those who live in the city are said to be treated as nothing more than slaves with no value. I mean, the lower city is always trashed simply because rebuilding the upper city, where nobles live, is more important. They're also pretty much trapped in there too, thanks to marshal law.

From 1.0 we know a little; many live in small hamlets in Coerthas (Falcon's Nest, Owl's Nest), where they grow (well, grew) their own crops, herded sheep and so on. There was a leatherworkers' guild, a blacksmiths' guild and the shepherds' guild located in these hamlets, so they had some trade going on. (Still waiting for that Shepherd DoL, Square! Hint hint)

Obviously they'll be having tougher times with Coerthas frozen over, so I wouldn't be surprised if most of those who used to live in the hamlets have either died or moved away.

As for the people living inside the city walls... I guess we'll see soon!

Work. Pray. worry about dragons. sleep. repeat.