Guido-alfani
Guido Alfani

As Gods Among Men:  A History of the Rich in the West

Guido Alfani

Friday, 22 March 2024

6:00pm

1 hour

Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room

£7 - £13.50

Historian Professor Guido Alfani looks at rich people past and present and argues that the reluctance of today’s wealthy individuals to contribute to the common good is a troubling development.

Alfani says the position of the rich and super rich in Western society has always been a fragile one and often inspired social unease. Excessive wealth was considered sinful in the Middle Ages. In later times, the rich were seen as useful when they used their wealth to help in times of crisis. Alfani says the super wealthy have been reluctant to contribute in the 21st century despite retaining their riches through the financial crisis and the pandemic. He says history suggests this is a troubling development both for the rich and for the rest of us.

Alfani is professor of economic history at Bocconi University, Milan. His previous books include Calamities and the Economy in Renaissance Italy: The Grand Tour of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Part of the festival’s programme of Italian literature and culture.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine