A historian claims only apocalyptic destruction can close the gap between rich and poor.

If things keep going the way they are, then the historian is probably correct. Fortunately:

Scheidel acknowledges non-cataclysmic “recipes” for ameliorating inequality, including progressive taxation, free health care and education and guaranteed incomes. European nations that have instituted such policies have lower inequality levels than the U.S.

It’s time for us to take this seriously.

Source: Is Nuclear War the Only Cure for Inequality? – Scientific American Blog Network