Angus Deaton
Over the past two centuries humanity has experienced an unprecedented surge in health and wealth, but this progress has often unfolded unevenly, creating vast inequalities that leave millions behind.
The dramatic historical increase in life expectancy was driven primarily by the application of new health knowledge, such as the germ theory of disease and public sanitation, rather than simply by rising incomes.
Contrary to popular belief, income growth is not the primary cause of health improvements in developing nations, because many life-saving interventions are inexpensive and depend on a state's ability to deliver them.
Inequality is a recurring consequence of progress: early breakthroughs benefit some groups first, which can motivate others to demand better resources, but can also enable elites to entrench their advantages through politics.