{"title":"Guido Alfani","description":"\u003cp\u003eGuido Alfani is a distinguished scholar whose works delve deep into the intricacies of history and its profound impacts on contemporary society. Known for his meticulous research and engaging writing style, Alfani has made significant contributions to the field of historical and economic analysis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe collection featuring \u003cem\u003eAs Gods Among Men\u003c\/em\u003e reflects his expertise and ability to weave complex historical themes into compelling narratives. These works fall under the Education \u0026amp; Reference category, offering insightful perspectives that are both enlightening and thought-provoking. Alfani's books are perfect for readers who are keen to explore the intersections of history, economics, and society through a well-researched and articulate lens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a student, an educator, or a history enthusiast, Guido Alfani's works provide a rich resource for understanding how historical events shape the present and influence future developments. Dive into his collection to discover the depth of his analysis and the clarity of his insights.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"as-gods-among-men-by-guido-alfani-9780691215730","title":"As Gods Among Men","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow the rich and the super-rich throughout Western history accumulated their wealth, behaved (or misbehaved) and helped (or didn't help) their communities in times of crisis.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe rich have always fascinated, sometimes in problematic ways. Medieval thinkers feared that the super-rich would act \u003cem\u003eas gods among men\u003c\/em\u003e; much more recently Thomas Piketty made wealth central to discussions of inequality. In this book, Guido Alfani offers a history of the rich and super-rich in the West, examining who they were, how they accumulated their wealth and what role they played in society.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCovering the last thousand years, with frequent incursions into antiquity, and integrating recent research on economic inequality, Alfani finds, despite the different paths to wealth in different eras, fundamental continuities in the behaviour of the rich and public attitudes towards wealth across Western history. His account offers a novel perspective on current debates about wealth and income disparity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlfani argues that the position of the rich and 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet in the twenty-first century, Alfani points out, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46832361734380,"sku":"9780691215730","price":69.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2144443482434.jpg?v=1758382103"},{"product_id":"as-gods-among-men-by-guido-alfani-9780691227115","title":"As Gods Among Men","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow the rich and the super-rich throughout Western history accumulated their wealth, behaved (or misbehaved), and helped (or didn't help) their communities in times of crisis.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe rich have always fascinated, sometimes in problematic ways. Medieval thinkers feared that the super-rich would act \u003cem\u003e'as gods among men'\u003c\/em\u003e; much more recently, Thomas Piketty made wealth central to discussions of inequality. In this book, \u003cem\u003eAs Gods Among Men\u003c\/em\u003e, Guido Alfani offers a history of the rich and super-rich in the West, examining who they were, how they accumulated their wealth, and what role they played in society.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCovering the last thousand years, with frequent incursions into antiquity, and integrating recent research on economic inequality, Alfani finds—despite the different paths to wealth in different eras—fundamental continuities in the behaviour of the rich and public attitudes towards wealth across Western history. His account offers a novel perspective on current debates about wealth and income disparity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlfani argues that the position of the rich and 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, Alfani points out, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHistory suggests that this is a troubling development—for the rich, and for everyone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47076063084780,"sku":"9780691227115","price":44.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2258293482434.jpg?v=1765190126"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/guido-alfani.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}