Why a Richer World Will Have More Civic Discontent: The Infinity Theory of Social Movements

Two narratives of economic development are presented. The first highlights contemporary global wealth and income inequality. The second illustrates historical aggregate gains in global wealth and income. Within these two broad narratives of economic development, protests and social movements will arise to modulate feelings of unfairness and deprivation. A new theory of social movements is developed. Collective remembering and collective...