Of note at this stage is the emergent requirement of having money to make money. Landes' conclusions regarding patterns of wealth and poverty in the world most often center around issues of culture. On the other hand, culture does not stand alone. Landes sees cultural factors in economic development as having significant implications for the current global economy. He sees his findings as challenging the prevailing dogma that economic globalization is likely to be a positive sum game for all.
Some people respond to market signals better than others, and culture can make all the difference.
The result, he implies, is bound to be a widening divergence of material fortunes, rather than the convergence of prosperity that so many are hoping for. James M. Harder chairs the department of business and economics at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas.