Backlight: Changemakers

With his book 'Capital'in the Twenty-First Century, Piketty caused a stir around the globe. Drawing on historical research, he demonstrates that wealth inequality has risen sharply since the 1980s. 

Klein sees the imminent climate change as a call-to-action to shape a new economic world order. Her new book 'This Changes Everything' is a hit around the world.

Why are we so hungry for these kinds of stories? While politicians often seem powerless, these intellectual stars revive our hope that we are capable of  tackling the big problems. But what is their impact on reality?