Thomas Piketty calculates that the Middle East is the most economically unequal region on earth. Could this have anything to do with terrorism?? What a controversial thought!

Research from Piketty and an essay from him published in Le Monde (we will be discussing Jim Tankersley’s Wonkblog’s summary, in order to avoid resorting to Google Translate) make a couple of basic points: first, the Middle East has a higher percentage of wealth held by the wealthiest 1% than any other region on earth; second, oil-rich countries with only 16% of the Middle East’s population have nearly 60% of its wealth; and third, those small oil-rich countries, many of which have abhorrent ruling regimes, are supported by and closely allied with “advanced” Western nations.

So in the Middle East you have: rampant inequality, a widespread lack of opportunity, and harsh authoritarian governments that are aided by the very countries that proclaim themselves to be the leading proponents of freedom and democracy. You do not have to be a leading geopolitical religious scholar to imagine how such a setting could allow extremist groups—which offer purpose and power—to thrive. And indeed, Piketty makes this very point. His contention that the rise of ISIS is fueled by economic inequality is characterized by the Washington Post as “controversial,” but it sure seems like common sense. Common sense would also imply that reducing inequality and offering the masses of people in the Middle East some hope in life might be an effective long-term strategy to fight extremist terrorism. But let’s not get crazy.

(Alternately maybe the problem is young men in the Middle East hate our freedoms.)

[Photo of a Mosul resident reaping the glorious rewards of Operation Iraqi Freedom: AP]