England 14th century homicide rate hit 20 per 100k. Modern Western Europe homicide rates hover at 1 per 100k. Decline massively preceded Industrial Revolution economic growth. Sweden GDP per capita surged 30-fold from 1750 to 2022 without homicide drop. Poverty fails as homicide cause given pre-industrial plunge and post-wealth stability. Population aging cuts violence potential yet rates held steady. Medical advances save lives and mask true violence levels. Long-run trends reveal deep regional violence disparities. Homicide drop challenges economic determinism of crime. US recent rates 4-7 per 100k dwarf Europe's modern lows.