Until the Industrial Revolution, real income for individuals and nations was essentially flat. Over much of the globe, the living standard of, say, a farmer in 1750 would not differ greatly from that of his great-grandparent. Since the start of the 19th century, in some parts of the world this has changed. Growth and income for some nations has risen dramatically, but for others it is still flat. Why? One answer is that new technologies made possible the creation, accumulation, and dissemination of ever greater wealth. A deeper answer is that some cultures embraced knowledge and change, and thus emerged as the fertile soil in which innovators could take risks, pursue their dreams, and, not coincidentally, enrich their fellow citizens. Are the nations that lag bogged down by tradition, stultifying central control, or a culture of bureaucratic impediments?