We are consistently bombarded with news and hard evidence that the super-rich are getting richer, leaving the rest of us behind. At the same time, many of us live lives that are materially richer than what was possible for most people throughout human history. We've never had it so good, yet it often feels like we don't have enough. This book reconciles that tension, placing the vices of capitalism in conversation with its virtues. Séamus A. Power explores how people comprehend and experience two global stories of economic growth – and what this means for the future of capitalism and humanity in an era of polarization, poverty, and climate change. The volume charts three possible futures for economic inequality and capitalism, and advocates for a world where poverty is eradicated, economic systems are made fairer, and the achievement of human capabilities is fully realized.

‘This is a great book about the way individuals perceive rising inequality and the need for action. A must-read in our dangerous world.’

Thomas Piketty - Co-Director, World Inequality Lab & World Inequality Database

‘Séamus Power integrates research and theory from an astonishing array of disciplines and methodologies to offer a unique, provocative viewpoint on the origins and consequences of inequality.’

Michael Norton - Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

‘The rich are getting richer. What about the rest of us? In this enlightening volume, Power critically analyzes two contrasting narratives to share a unique perspective on economic inequality and its psychological underpinnings. In a clear, transdisciplinary voice, he tells an inviting story about fairness, possibilities, and hope in a new realm of capitalism. A must read!’

Qi Wang - Joan K. and Irwin M. Jacobs Professor of Human Development, Cornell University, and author of The Autobiographical Self in Time and Culture

‘In Inequality: The View from Manywheres, Séamus Power enters an important debate on inequality in an even-handed way. As an anthropologist and cultural psychologist, he is uniquely equipped to take this on. His ‘view from manywheres’ means that he considers multiple viewpoints on an issue, which is a major strength of the book. Instead of hammering on one thesis like one of his interlocutors, Thomas Piketty, ‘manywheres’ shifts back and forth between arguments that view inequality as either needing to be eliminated (à la Thomas Piketty), or as a normal part of both economic growth and the associated decline of absolute poverty.’

Michael Jindra Source: LSE Review of Books

‘By zooming out, Séamus Power explains a pervasive modern societal conflict. Despite increased global prosperity, many people feel worse off than ever before...and that this is part of the fertile soil on which populist leaders have exploited dissatisfaction for dictatorial gain. 'They promise a wonderland that does not exist'...’

Sinéad Gibney Source: The Irish Times

‘Séamus Power enters an important debate on inequality in an even-handed way. As an anthropologist and cultural psychologist, he is uniquely equipped to take this on. His ‘view from manywheres’ means that he considers multiple viewpoints on an issue, which ... .’

Michael Jindra Source: LSE Review of Books