New preprint! Global inequality is on the rise, and so is global catastrophic risk. These two problems are not independent: inequality drives societal instability and increases catastrophic risk. We show this by drawing on historical and empirical research highlighting the corrosive effects of inequality. The danger comes via two pathways: 1) inequality erodes trust and information sharing, making collective action much harder; 2) inequality is especially damaging to democracies, which are our best bet for surviving future hazards. This means, if we want a society more resilient to global catastrophic risk, we need more democratic participation and less inequality. See the paper for the full argument: https://eartharxiv.org/repository/view/12164/ #inequality #wealth #GlobalCatastrophicRisk #History