Economists should be modest and be aware that they are part of the broader social science community. We need to be pragmatic about the methods we use. When we need to do history, we should do history. When we need to study political science, we should study political science.
I don't live in the Cold War. Some people maybe still live in the Cold War, but this is their problem, not mine.
The main force pushing toward reduction in inequality has always been the diffusion of knowledge and the diffusion of education.