The Great Leveler: Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century

Walter Scheidel's ambitious history asks an uncomfortable question: what actually reduces inequality? Spoiler—it's not policy or progress. Through millennia of human civilisation, from ancient Rome to modern economies, Scheidel argues that only massive violent shocks (war, revolution, plague, state collapse) have levelled the playing field. Meticulously researched and deeply provocative, this is economic history that challenges everything you thought you knew. Perfect for readers who like their non-fiction bold, data-driven, and unsettling.