I løbet af de sidste århundreder har vestlige kulturer været særligt gode til at skabe udbredt velstand for dem selv. Historikeren Niall Ferguson spørger: Hvorfor i Vesten og i mindre grad hos resten? Han foreslår et halvt dusin store ideer fra vestens kultur -- kalder dem de 6 killer apps -- som skabte velstand, stabilitet og innovation. Og i det nye århundrede, siger han, kan alle dele disse apps.

Niall Ferguson: Velstandens 6 dræber apps

The rapid rise of Western wealth and dominance since 1800 hinged on six key societal 'killer apps'—from competition to modern medicine—that fostered innovation, health, and economic growth. By the 1970s, Western nations, though just 19 percent of the global population, commanded two-thirds of the world's wealth. These advantages are no longer exclusive, as places like Shanghai now top global math rankings and East Asian countries lead in patent filings. The rest of the world is adopting and adapting the same institutional tools, closing the gap faster than ever before.