You Say You Want a Revolution?

Luke Muehlhauser is new to me but I'll have to check out his website more often. Follow this link and you'll see his excellent commentary on the effect of the Industrial Revolution on human prosperity.

You'll need to click on the graphic to see the rather small details here but this is the part I find most interesting, although it sounds macabre: The death rates per capita of major events in world history.

   An Lushan Rebellion                       5.6% of world population

   Genghis Kahn                                  9.5% of world population

   Black Death                                     9.7% of world population

   Worlds Wars + Spanish Flu             7%    of world population

I have to let that last one sink in for a moment. Both world wars plus the Spanish Flu epidemic (which killed a distant relative of mine) were less deadly than the Black Death and Genghis Kkan (as a percent of the population).