We are pleased to announce an upcoming seminar with Guido Alfani, Professor of economic history at Bocconi University, in which he will present his new book: 'As Gods among Men: a History of the Rich in the West. The seminar is organised by research grouop SHOC and ULB within the framework of Brussels Seminar in Economic and Social History.
Attendance is free, but we kindly ask you to register . In order to download the flyer with details and information on subscription, please click this file.
Abstract
Who were the rich, in history, and how did they obtain their wealth? Did they play the same role in society, and were they perceived in the same manner, in the past as today? A recent book, As Gods Among Men. A History of the Rich in the West, upon which this seminar is based, attempts to provide a general history of the characteristics, the behavior and the relative economic and social position of the rich and the super-rich. Covering the last thousand years, with frequent incursions into antiquity, and integrating recent research on economic inequality, the book highlights —despite the different paths to wealth in different eras—fundamental continuities in the behavior of the rich and public attitudes towards wealth across Western history. It also offers a novel perspective on current debates about wealth and income disparity.
As Gods Among Men argues that the position of the rich and especially the super-rich in Western society has always been intrinsically fragile; their very presence has inspired social unease. In the Middle Ages, an excessive accumulation of wealth was considered sinful; the rich were expected not to appear to be wealthy. Eventually, the rich were deemed useful when they used their wealth to help their communities in times of crisis. Yet in the twenty-first century the rich and the super-rich—their wealth largely preserved through the Great Recession and COVID-19—have been exceptionally reluctant to contribute to the common good in times of crisis, rejecting even such stopgap measures as temporary tax increases. History suggests that this is a troubling development—for the rich, and for everyone else.