[The evolutionary and revolutionary genesis of affluence and its consequences].
In the course of the "Neolithic Revolution", while the warming after the glacial period about 13,000 years ago was starting, the crucial evolution of mankind took place, which has consequences to this day. With the beginning of agriculture and metallurgy a transition from an accidental outlook on life to a deliberate shaping of life set in. A chance from almost egalitarian tribal societies oriented solely towards consumption into production societies organized in a hierarchically complex way was not solely the result of an adaptation to climatic conditions, but also of a positively selecting evolution of the intellect. Following the socially relevant upheavals connected with this, the prerequisites for starting modest prosperity only for a privileged few across millenniums were created. Problems and future prospects of today's global distribution of affluence are discussed.