TED Video: Niall Ferguson: The 6 killer apps of prosperity

Over the past few centuries, Western cultures have been very good at creating general prosperity for themselves. Historian Niall Ferguson asks: Why the West, and less so the rest? He suggests half a dozen big ideas from Western culture — call them the 6 killer apps — that promote wealth, stability and innovation. And in this new century, he says, these apps are all shareable.

Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/niall_ferguson_the_6_killer_apps_of_prosperity.html

(Many thanks to Geoff Badenoch for recommending this.)