Poverty, Population, Inequality, and Development in Historical Perspective

The rich nation is the novelty, and the development that makes entire nations rich is itself the pivotal development of modern history (Asa Briggs, British historian, 1963) Seen in historical perspective the main economic predicaments of the present world (such as poverty, inequality, backwardness) appear in a somewhat different light than in many current discussions. The achievements of the modern age, and in particular of the post- World War II period, are considered from the viewpoint of economic and demographic history, and in their connection with the contemporary systems of production and of international relations. JEL Classification: P0, 010, N0