In Oded Galor's insightful book, The Journey of Humanity, she analyzes history to reveal patterns that led to accelerated progress and higher standards of living. Some of the cultural traits that positively impacted societies include cooperation, trust, higher levels of gender equality, an entrepreneurial spirit and a future-oriented mindset.
In addition to the cultural traits, Galor identified good and bad geographies for food production, the kinds of institutions that are helpful, and the right amount of diversity that helps improve a region's standard of living. We learn that diversity helps up to the point where it jeopardizes social cohesion.
