: A combination of institutional frameworks and cultural values (often linked to the Protestant work ethic) provided the human capital necessary for sustained development. Current Status and Potential Decline
: Breakthroughs in healthcare more than doubled life expectancy, allowing Western empires to expand into previously inhospitable regions. Civilization The West & the Rest
: The Industrial Revolution and the subsequent birth of a consumer society drove global trade and economic growth. : A combination of institutional frameworks and cultural
These features distinguish the "West" from the "Rest" by explaining how a small minority of the global population secured the majority of its resources: These features distinguish the "West" from the "Rest"
In his book and documentary series Civilization: The West and the Rest , historian Niall Ferguson identifies six "killer applications" that enabled Western civilization to achieve global dominance starting in the 1500s. The Six "Killer Apps" of Western Civilization
Ferguson argues that the West's era of predominance may be ending:
: Other civilizations have now successfully "downloaded" these six features, allowing countries like China to challenge Western supremacy.