The wealth and poverty of nations : why some are so rich and some so poor

In this exploration of the complex causes of the wealth and poverty of nations, the answers are found not only in the large forces at work in economies - geography, religion, the broad swings of politics - but also in small details.

For instance, the invention of spectacles doubled the working life of skilled craftsmen in Europe and played a prominent role in the creation of articulated machines, whilst, on the other hand, in China the failure to adopt the clock fundamentally hindered economic development.

The author sets out to show why the key to future economic success lies in understanding the lessons of the past.