Inequality is not simply a matter of social disparities within countries; it is also at times a clash of collective identities and models of development. Their respective merits and limitations might in theory be subjects for calm and constructive debate, but in practice they are often transformed into violent clashes of identity. This is as much the case today as in centuries past, despite important contextual changes. Hence it is essential to describe the historical genealogy of these conflicts to gain a better understanding of what is currently at stake.
