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The objective of the first part of this study is to confirm Alexis de Tocqueville's assertion that “Even the most favorable geographic locations and the best laws cannot maintain a constitution in despite of mores.” A synthetic index of progressive social values taken from the World Values Survey turns out to be a robust predictor of GDP per capita levels and of governance performance, controlling for resource endowment and political institutions. The second part of the study tests the 25-factor typology of progress-prone and progress-resistant cultures of the Cultural Change Institute, adapting the same two regression models. The findings reveal the high productivity of a population shift from a progress-resistant to a progress-prone value, belief, or attitude. The concluding remarks recommend ways that these findings may be used as guidelines to promote economic and social development. |
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