Unearthing Economic Inequality: Aztec Rulers' Exploitative Legacy in Pre-Columbian Mexico

Economic dynamics in pre-Columbian Mexico reveal that the Aztec leaders were relentless in their exploitation of resources and wealth.

The intricate tapestry of history often conceals tales of wealth and disparity, and the legacy of Aztec rulers in pre-Columbian Mexico is no exception. Recent research by Guido Alfani from Bocconi's Department of Social and Political Sciences and Alfonso Carballo from NEOMA Business School has shed light on the economic relationships that prevailed in the Aztec Empire on the eve of the Spanish conquest. Their groundbreaking study was published in Nature Human Behaviour¹, and in it they unravel the ruthless exploitation that characterized the socioeconomic structure of this ancient empire.