Hating the Rich Is a Western Tradition
As far back as Aristotle, Western thinkers have been deeply critical of the power that the wealthy hold over society. Historian Guido Alfani sat down with Jacobin to discuss the long history of opposition to elite power in Western politics and religion.
A portrait of Cosimo II de’ Medici with Archduchess Maria Maddalena of Austria and their son Ferdinando II de’ Medici. (Wikimedia Commons)
Inequality is not a phenomenon unique to capitalist societies; in fact, it has been common to almost every social order. In As Gods Among Men: A History of the Rich in the West, Guido Alfani showed that a strong critique of inequality has been a feature of Western societies since ancient times. Aristotle argued that it would be naive to expect someone with greater wealth and resources than the vast majority of people to act according to the values of the community. Such an individual would, he argued, behave like a god among men.
With figures like Elon Musk wielding increasing amounts of control over our political system, this critique has become even more timely. Alfani sat down with Jacobin to talk about the history of criticisms of inequality from Aristotle to today. What has changed is that the rich have developed even more successful mechanisms for entrenching their power politically and bogus arguments for defending this state of affairs morally.
Hugo de Camps Mora
The title of your book is As Gods Among Men: A History of the Rich in the West. Who are the rich, and why should anyone worried about contemporary injustices and inequalities want to read a history about them?
Guido Alfani
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