The Divide: A New History of Global Inequality

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For decades we have been told a story about the divide between the rich and the poor. At every opportunity, the development industry informs us that the global south is catching up to the West- that poverty has been cut in half over the past thirty years, and will be eradicated by 2030. It's a comforting tale, and one that is endorsed by the world's most powerful governments and corporations. But is it true? In 1960, per capita income was 32 times higher in the richest country than the poorest country. In 2000 it was 134 times higher. The divide is still growing. Today 4.3 billion people, more than 60% o the population, live on less than $5 per day. Over 1 billion live on less than $1 a day. The world's richest 62 people now control more wealth than the poorest 3.5 billion. Why are we not aware of the growing divide? And why isn't anything being done about it? It is because poverty is seen as a natural phenomenon when in reality it is a political problem- poverty doesn't just exist, it has been created. Poor countries are poor because they are integrated into the global economic system on unequal terms. Aid only works to hide the deep patterns of wealth extraction that cause poverty and inequality in the first place- rigged trade deals, tax evasion, land grabs, and the costs associated with climate change. This book tracks the evolution of this system, from the first expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492 to the international debt regime - all of which have allowed a handful of rich countries to effectively control economic policies in the rest of the world. Because poverty is a political problem, it requires political solutions. The Divide offers a range of revelatory answers, but also explains that something much more radical is needed - a revolution in our way of thinking. Drawing on pioneering research, detailed analysis, and years of first-hand experience, The Divide is a provocative, urgent and ultimately uplifting account of how the world works, and one of the most important books of today.For decades we have been told a story about the divide between the rich and the poor. At every opportunity, the development industry informs us that the global south is catching up to the West- that poverty has been cut in half over the past thirty years, and will be eradicated by 2030. It's a comforting tale, and one that is endorsed by the world's most powerful governments and corporations. But is it true? In 1960, per capita income was 32 times higher in the richest country than the poorest country. In 2000 it was 134 times higher. The divide is still growing. Today 4.3 billion people, more than 60% o the population, live on less than $5 per day. Over 1 billion live on less than $1 a day. The world's richest 62 people now control more wealth than the poorest 3.5 billion. Why are we not aware of the growing divide? And why isn't anything being done about it? It is because poverty is seen as a natural phenomenon when in reality it is a political problem- poverty doesn't just exist, it has been created. Poor countries are poor because they are integrated into the global economic system on unequal terms. Aid only works to hide the deep patterns of wealth extraction that cause poverty and inequality in the first place- rigged trade deals, tax evasion, land grabs, and the costs associated with climate change. This book tracks the evolution of this system, from the first expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492 to the international debt regime - all of which have allowed a handful of rich countries to effectively control economic policies in the rest of the world. Because poverty is a political problem, it requires political solutions. The Divide offers a range of revelatory answers, but also explains that something much more radical is needed - a revolution in our way of thinking. Drawing on pioneering research, detailed analysis, and years of first-hand experience, The Divide is a provocative, urgent and ultimately uplifting account of how the world works, and one of the most important books of today.
Jason Hickel is an anthropologist at the London School of Economics. Originally from Swaziland, he has spent a number of years living with migrant workers in South Africa, studying patterns of exploitation and political resistance in the wake of apartheid. Alongside his ethnographic work, he writes about development, inequality, and global political economy, contributing regularly to the Guardian, Al Jazeera, and other online outlets. His work has been funded by Fulbright, the National Science Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, the Charlotte Newcombe Foundation, and the Leverhulme Trust. He lives in London.