The Journey of Humanity. The Origins of Wealth and Inequality: Oded Galor

A grand unifying theory of human flourishing and inequality from one of the world's pre-eminent thinkers

In a captivating journey from the dawn of human existence to the present and back again, world-renowned thinker Oded Galor offers a captivating solution to the two seminal and interrelated mysteries of human flourishing and inequality. Why are humans the only species on the planet to have escaped - only very recently - the subsistence trap, allowing us to enjoy a standard of living that vastly exceeds all others? And why have we progressed so unequally around the world, resulting in the great disparities between nations that exist today?

Immense in scope and packed with astounding connections, Galor's gripping narrative explains how biology, technology, population size and natural selection led to a stunning 'phase change' in the human story a mere two hundred years ago. But by tracing that same journey back in time and peeling back the layers of influence - colonialism, societal structure, culture, geography - he arrives also at an explanation of inequality's ultimate causes: those ancestral populations that enjoyed rich diversity were set on the path to prosperity, while those who lacked it were disadvantaged from the start.

As we face ecological crisis, The Journey of Humanity is a book of unique import and enduring relevance whose lessons are both hopeful and profound: gender equality, investment in education and balancing diversity with social cohesion are the keys to our species' thriving and survival.