The dynamics of inequality in the human story: a brief sketch | Zendy

Jon D. Wisman | Zendy

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The dynamics of inequality in the human story: a brief sketch

Author(s) -

Jon D. Wisman

Publication year - 2018

Publication title -

international journal of pluralism and economics education

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.104

H-Index - 1

eISSN - 1757-5656

pISSN - 1757-5648

DOI - 10.1504/ijpee.2018.10013522

Subject(s) - sketch , inequality , dynamics (music) , neoclassical economics , economics , sociology , mathematical economics , positive economics , computer science , mathematics , mathematical analysis , pedagogy , algorithm

Teaching contemporary inequality can be significantly enriched by being nested in its dynamics over the course of human history. This essay provides those teaching inequality with a brief sketch of: 1) the original human condition of a high degree of equality that endured for 97% to 98% of our species' existence as foragers and early agriculturalists; 2) the origin of extreme inequality that accompanied the rise of states and civilisation about 5,500 years ago as weapons technology enabled a few to subjugate the producers; 3) why, despite a significant degree of political democracy in many contemporary societies, extreme inequality persists.

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