"The World at the Beginning of the twenty-first century is still divided between the few who are rich and the many who are poor, between the free and the oppressed. Even in the prosperous democracies, troubling gaps in well-being persist. Traditional explanations like imperialism, dependency and racism are no longer adequate, and increasingly observers are concluding that the principal reason why some countries and ethnic groups are better off than others lies in cultural values that powerfully shape political, economic and social performance." "Many, but not all, of the distinguished contributors to Culture Matters share this view and believe that value and attitude change is indispensable to progress for those who are lagging."--BOOK JACKET.