Despite the expansion of global markets in the latter half of the twentieth century, social science often focuses on inequality and social mobility within individual nations rather than across borders. Each country has rich and poor populations that demand resource distribution through various means. Changes in inequality in one nation can affect others, highlighting the need for a broader analysis. Authors Roberto Patricio Korzeniewicz and Timothy Patrick Moran argue that within-country studies fail to fully explain global stratification. They introduce a new framework that transcends national boundaries to assess economic inequality and social mobility historically and globally. By analyzing data from over ninety-six countries, they explore the relationship between globalization and inequality. The authors identify two historical patterns—"High Inequality Equilibrium" and "Low Inequality Equilibrium"—and question the links between equality, democracy, and economic growth. They assert that inequality is a complex global interaction, with mechanisms that reduce inequality in some nations simultaneously exacerbating exclusion in poorer ones. National identity and citizenship are key factors in contemporary stratification. The authors outline three main paths for social mobility: within-country mobility, growth-driven mobility, and migration. They emphasize that the nation of birth is the most significant determinant of life out
