‘Guido Alfani has, more than anyone, expanded our knowledge of inequality trends to encompass preindustrial times. In this masterly book, he offers an insightful long-run perspective and fascinating lessons for the future. A must-read!’—Thomas Piketty, author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century

‘Surveying the full sweep of Western history, Alfani explores how the rich have gained, used and sometimes lost their wealth, and how their fortunes shaped society. His masterful synthesis reveals the deep roots of current inequalities.’—Walter Scheidel, author of The Great Leveler

‘Here is the broadest history to date of how the very rich are different from us, and how we have reacted to them. Over the centuries, wealth and power shifted between heirs, entrepreneurs and political power brokers. Sometimes we held them in esteem, sometimes in contempt. Sometimes we resented their consumption, sometimes we resented their savings. Guido Alfani interprets it all creatively and plausibly.’—Peter H. Lindert, author of Making Social Spending Work

‘Behind every wealth inequality metric used by economists, there is a story of how that wealth was made. But it is seldom told. In this veritable encyclopedia, Guido Alfani takes us on a journey from ancient Rome to the Medicis to Jeff Bezos to uncover how the rich are different.’—Branko Milanovic, author of the forthcoming Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War

‘Guido Alfani applies his unique eye to the history of the rich, across diverse western societies, over an impressive span of time. The innovative methodological approach is his own, the work is meticulous, and the storytelling is engaging. This volume is an invaluable resource for inequality scholars, not only for economists and historians, but for political scientists and sociologists as well.’—Janet C. Gornick, Director of the Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality, City University of New York