The Journey of Humanity: The Origin of Wealth and Inequality

What are the keys to human progress? In the last two hundred years, stunning advances in health, wealth and lifespan have fundamentally transformed the experience of being human, at least for some. But this was no accident of history. In this Quantitative History Webinar, Oded Galor of Brown University will talk about his latest book The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality (published in 30 languages), taking us through a captivating journey from the dawn of human existence to the present. Join us online as we reframe our understanding of human history for answers.

Drawing on a lifetime’s investigation, Oded Galor identifies the universal forces behind this change, and so unlocks the mystery of human development. Galor’s breakthrough vision upends many assumptions. The game-changing revolution of recent centuries was not industrialisation but mass education; not the era of child labour but the end of it. New technology can enhance living standards – but it has done so only by reducing family size and spurring greater gender equality. Meanwhile, differing levels of diversity, stemming from patterns of human migration tens of thousands of years ago, have been as powerful in determining the fate of nations as colonialism or geography.