Great powers need wealth to acquire the instruments to project power or to induce other states to align with them. What is the driver of wealth and poverty among nations? Deterministic theories focus on geography, resource endowments, and other historical circumstances. David Landes, while not discounting those factors, puts the emphasis on culture and institutions. In analyzing the rise of prosperity in Western Europe, he shows that the market economy and trade, enable by cultural values such as the Protestant work ethic, political competition, and relative freedom brought about rapid economic growth compared to the rest of the world. As the West projected its influence, its economic institutions went global, though relative performance continued to be associated with important cultural variables. Going forward, a strategist should have an eye toward which great powers have systems designed best to produce the wealth required to achieve primacy.
Guiding Questions
- If culture is a key component of civilizational success, is it possible for other non-Protestant cultures to succeed? Why? What does this mean for our humanitarian and development agenda more broadly?
- How can one instill an appropriate culture for civilizational success? Is this possible? If so, should governments attempt to cultivate these values?