xvii, 504 pages : 25 cm
"Are mass violence and catastrophes the only forces that can seriously decrease economic inequality? To judge by thousands of years of history, the answer is yes. Tracing the global history of inequality from the Stone Age to today, Walter Scheidel shows that inequality never dies peacefully. Inequality declines when carnage and disaster strike and increases when peace and stability return. The Great Leveler is the first book to chart the crucial role of violent shocks in reducing inequality over the full sweep of human history around the world. Ever since humans began to farm, herd livestock, and pass on their assets to future generations, economic inequality has been a defining feature of civilization. Over thousands of years, only violent events have significantly lessened inequality. The "Four Horsemen" of leveling--mass-mobilization warfare, transformative revolutions, state collapse, and catastrophic plagues--have repeatedly destroyed the fortunes of the rich. Scheidel identifies and examines these processes, from the crises of the earliest civilizations to the cataclysmic world wars and communist revolutions of the twentieth century. Today, the violence that reduced inequality in the past seems to have diminished, and that is a good thing. But it casts serious doubt on the prospects for a more equal future. An essential contribution to the debate about inequality, The Great Leveler provides important new insights about why inequality is so persistent--and why it is unlikely to decline anytime soon."--Publisher's description
Includes bibliographical references (pages 457-493) and index
Introduction : The Challenge of Inequality -- Part I: A Brief History of Inequality. The Rise of Inequality ; Empires of Inequality ; Up and Down -- Part II: War. Total War ; The Great Compression ; Preindustrial Warfare and Civil War -- Part III: Revolution. Communism ; Before Lenin -- Part IV: Collapse. State Failure and Systems Collapse -- Part V: Plague. The Black Death ; Pandemics, Famine, and War -- Part VI: Alternatives. Reform, Recession, and Representation ; Economic Development and Education ; What If?: From History to Counterfactuals -- Part VII: Inequality Redux and the Future of Leveling. In Our Time ; What Does the Future Hold? -- Appendix : The Limits of Inequality
Cundill Prize in Historical Literature, Finalist 2017

ia/greatlevelerviol0000sche.pdf

The Great Leveler: Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World, 114)

Violence and the history of inequality from the Stone Age to the 21st century

Walter Scheidel

Princeton University, Department of Art & Archaeology

The Princeton economic history of the Western world, Princeton economic history of the Western world, New Jersey, 2017

The Princeton economic history of the Western world, Princeton, N. J, Oxford, United States, 2017

The Princeton Economic History of the Western World, Princeton, NJ, 2018

Princeton Economic History of the Western World Ser, Princeton, 2018

United States, United States of America

American First, PT, 2017

Illustrated, 2018

Sep 18, 2018

2, 2018

crumpled pages inherent from the source.
obscured text back cover

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 457-493) and index.

Source title: The Great Leveler: Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)

Указ.
Библиогр.: с. 457-493

РГБ

Russian State Library [rgb] MARC:
=001 009396934
=005 20171019112302.0
=008 170918s2017\\\\xxu||||\\\\\\\0||\|\eng|d
=017 \\ $a И6251-17 $b RuMoRGB
=020 \\ $a 978-0-691-16502-8
=040 \\ $a RuMoRGB $b rus $e rcr
=041 0\ $a eng
=044 \\ $a xxu
=084 \\ $a Т3(0)0,02 $2 rubbk
=100 1\ $a Scheidel, Walter
=245 04 $a The great leveler $h [Текст] : $b violence and the history of inequality from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century $c Walter Scheidel
=260 \\ $a Princeton, N. J. ; $a Oxford $b Princeton univ. press $c cop. 2018
=300 \\ $a XVII, 504 с. $b ил. $c 24 см
=336 \\ $a текст (text) $b txt $2 rdacontent
=337 \\ $a неопосредованный (unmediated) $b n $2 rdamedia
=338 \\ $a том (volume) $b nc $2 rdacarrier
=490 0\ $a The Princeton economic history of the Western world
=500 \\ $a Указ.
=504 \\ $a Библиогр.: с. 457-493
=650 \7 $a История. Исторические науки -- Всемирная история $2 rubbk
=852 \\ $a РГБ $b FB $j 5 17-6/99 $x 90

Are Mass Violence And Catastrophes The Only Forces That Can Seriously Decrease Economic Inequality? To Judge By Thousands Of Years Of History, The Answer Is Yes. Tracing The Global History Of Inequality From The Stone Age To Today, Walter Scheidel Shows That Inequality Never Dies Peacefully. Inequality Declines When Carnage And Disaster Strike And Increases When Peace And Stability Return. The Great Leveler Is The First Book To Chart The Crucial Role Of Violent Shocks In Reducing Inequality Over The Full Sweep Of Human History Around The World. Ever Since Humans Began To Farm, Herd Livestock, And Pass On Their Assets To Future Generations, Economic Inequality Has Been A Defining Feature Of Civilization. Over Thousands Of Years, Only Violent Events Have Significantly Lessened Inequality. The Four Horsemen Of Leveling--mass-mobilization Warfare, Transformative Revolutions, State Collapse, And Catastrophic Plagues--have Repeatedly Destroyed The Fortunes Of The Rich. Scheidel Identifies And Examines These Processes, From The Crises Of The Earliest Civilizations To The Cataclysmic World Wars And Communist Revolutions Of The Twentieth Century. Today, The Violence That Reduced Inequality In The Past Seems To Have Diminished, And That Is A Good Thing. But It Casts Serious Doubt On The Prospects For A More Equal Future. An Essential Contribution To The Debate About Inequality, The Great Leveler Provides Important New Insights About Why Inequality Is So Persistent--and Why It Is Unlikely To Decline Anytime Soon. -- Publisher's Description Introduction: The Challenge Of Inequality -- A Brief History Of Inequality. The Rise Of Inequality -- Empires Of Inequality -- Up And Down -- War. Total War -- The Great Compression -- Preindustrial Warfare And Civil War -- Revolution. Communism -- Before Lenin -- Collapse. State Failure And Systems Collapse -- Plague. The Black Death -- Pandemics, Famine, And War -- Alternatives. Reform, Recession, And Representation -- Economic Development And Education -- What If ? From History To Counterfactuals -- Inequality Redux And The Future Of Leveling. -- In Our Time -- What Does The Future Hold? -- Appendix: The Limits Of Inequality. Walter Scheidel. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

How only violence and catastrophes have consistently reduced inequality throughout world history
Are mass violence and catastrophes the only forces that can seriously decrease economic inequality? To judge by thousands of years of history, the answer is yes. Tracing the global history of inequality from the Stone Age to today, Walter Scheidel shows that inequality never dies peacefully. Inequality declines when carnage and disaster strike and increases when peace and stability return. The Great Leveler is the first book to chart the crucial role of violent shocks in reducing inequality over the full sweep of human history around the world.
Ever since humans began to farm, herd livestock, and pass on their assets to future generations, economic inequality has been a defining feature of civilization. Over thousands of years, only violent events have significantly lessened inequality. The "Four Horsemen" of levelingmass-mobilization warfare, transformative revolutions, state collapse, and catastrophic plagueshave repeatedly destroyed the fortunes of the rich. Scheidel identifies and examines these processes, from the crises of the earliest civilizations to the cataclysmic world wars and communist revolutions of the twentieth century. Today, the violence that reduced inequality in the past seems to have diminished, and that is a good thing. But it casts serious doubt on the prospects for a more equal future.
An essential contribution to the debate about inequality, The Great Leveler provides important new insights about why inequality is so persistentand why it is unlikely to decline anytime soon.

2023-06-28