Fresh Episode: Capital in the 21st Century

03/11/2025 16 min

Listen "Fresh Episode: Capital in the 21st Century "

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of Lit in a Nutshell, we unpack Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty — a groundbreaking exploration of how wealth and inequality shape our world. Piketty traces the history of capital from the 18th century to today, revealing how wealth tends to concentrate in the hands of a few unless society actively intervenes.We’ll break down his famous equation r > g (the rate of return on capital exceeds economic growth), discuss why inequality isn’t an accident but a structural feature of capitalism, and explore Piketty’s call for global tax reforms to balance the scales.Whether you’re curious about economics, politics, or the forces driving today’s wealth gap, this episode offers a clear and engaging summary of one of the most important books of our time — in a nutshell.