Edited by Peter Bernholz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Center for Economics and Business (WWZ), University of Basle, Switzerland and Roland Vaubel, Professor of Economics, University of Mannheim, Germany

'It is impossible for the arts and sciences to arise, at first, among any people unless that people enjoy the blessing of a free government. . . Nothing is more favourable to the rise of politeness and learning than a number of neighbouring and independent states, connected together by commerce and policy. . . Where a number of neighbouring states have great intercourse of arts and commerce, their mutual jealousy keeps them from receiving too lightly the law from each other, in matters of taste and of reasoning, and makes them examine every work of art with the greatest care and accuracy.'

• Contents: Foreword by Eric Jones 1. Introduction and Overview 2. The Political Pattern of Historical Creativity: A Theoretical Case 3. Creative Clusters, Political Fragmentation and Cultural Heterogeneity: An Investigative Journey through Civilizations East and West 4. Lessons from the History of Imperial China 5. Advantages of Centralized and Decentralized Rule in Japan 6. India 7. Islamic Statecraft and the Middle East’s Delayed Modernization Index

Edited by Peter Bernholz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Center for Economics and Business (WWZ), University of Basle, Switzerland and Roland Vaubel, Professor of Economics, University of Mannheim, Germany

'It is impossible for the arts and sciences to arise, at first, among any people unless that people enjoy the blessing of a free government. . . Nothing is more favourable to the rise of politeness and learning than a number of neighbouring and independent states, connected together by commerce and policy. . . Where a number of neighbouring states have great intercourse of arts and commerce, their mutual jealousy keeps them from receiving too lightly the law from each other, in matters of taste and of reasoning, and makes them examine every work of art with the greatest care and accuracy.'

• Contents: Foreword by Eric Jones 1. Introduction and Overview 2. The Political Pattern of Historical Creativity: A Theoretical Case 3. Creative Clusters, Political Fragmentation and Cultural Heterogeneity: An Investigative Journey through Civilizations East and West 4. Lessons from the History of Imperial China 5. Advantages of Centralized and Decentralized Rule in Japan 6. India 7. Islamic Statecraft and the Middle East’s Delayed Modernization Index

Edited by Peter Bernholz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Center for Economics and Business (WWZ), University of Basle, Switzerland and Roland Vaubel, Professor of Economics, University of Mannheim, Germany

'It is impossible for the arts and sciences to arise, at first, among any people unless that people enjoy the blessing of a free government. . . Nothing is more favourable to the rise of politeness and learning than a number of neighbouring and independent states, connected together by commerce and policy. . . Where a number of neighbouring states have great intercourse of arts and commerce, their mutual jealousy keeps them from receiving too lightly the law from each other, in matters of taste and of reasoning, and makes them examine every work of art with the greatest care and accuracy.'

• Contents: Foreword by Eric Jones 1. Introduction and Overview 2. The Political Pattern of Historical Creativity: A Theoretical Case 3. Creative Clusters, Political Fragmentation and Cultural Heterogeneity: An Investigative Journey through Civilizations East and West 4. Lessons from the History of Imperial China 5. Advantages of Centralized and Decentralized Rule in Japan 6. India 7. Islamic Statecraft and the Middle East’s Delayed Modernization Index