That's where things get awkward for me. As far as I can tell, the mages have it better than your average peasant or serf. Not good, by any means at all, but they get to live comfortable lives where they are provided for. Now the suppression of a working class was fairly necessary to get society to function for the medieval age so I can (and I think most players) forget about it until we see something truly horrific (state approved rape being a big one). Are they being exploited? Yeah, that's basically par for the course with this type of setting. Is their treatment inhumane? Because that's where I would draw the line.

On that count I would say, yes it is inhumane, but the game does not present an adequate solution to combat it. Instead, Anders makes the whole situation worse.