global inequality ⁽²⁾

For as long as humans have lived in organized societies, secrecy has been power. Empires rose and fell on hidden knowledge, generals depended on codes to outmaneuver their enemies, and merchants guarded trade routes as jealously as kings guarded thrones.

For much of the twentieth century, the world’s great conflicts were framed in the language of oil. Nations rose and fell on access to petroleum, wars were launched over pipelines and reserves, and entire economies were structured around black gold.