Two Paths to Prosperity: Culture and Institutions in Europe and China, 1000–2000 by Avner Greif

Two Paths to Prosperity examines how divergent cultural and institutional frameworks shaped economic trajectories across a millennium. Avner Greif's comparative analysis traces Europe and China from 1000 to 2000, revealing how belief systems, social structures, and formal institutions either enabled or constrained growth. Essential reading for understanding why societies develop differently and how deep historical patterns influence modern prosperity.