As I understand it, the reason why we needed daylight early in the day was for agricultural workers. In particular it was so that herds of cows could be milked early and the milk delivered fresh in time for other people to have milk before they started their working day. Nowadays milk takes about 6 days from farm, via paseurisation plant, to doorstep or supermarket. There is no longer any reason for early daylight in winter.

Quack!
GtD.