Technological progress has trumped obstacles to economic growth. Periodic political rebalancing, sometimes peaceful, sometimes not, has ensured that the vast majority of people have benefited, albeit some far more than others.
到目前为止，从马尔萨斯到马克思，凡是预测现代人的丰裕程度会下降的，最后都被证明错得离谱。技术进步战胜了经济增长的障碍。周期性的权力再平衡——有时是和平的，有时是不和平的——确保了大部分人受益，尽管有些人的受益程度远高于其他人。