Why are some countries so rich and others so poor? Why did the Industrial Revolution—and the unprecedented economic growth that came with it—occur in England at the end of the 18th century, rather than elsewhere or at some other time? Why didn't industrialization make the whole world rich - and why did it make many countries even poorer? In his book "Goodbye Poverty!" Gregory Clark examines these difficult questions and proposes a new perspective in which culture, rather than exploitation, geography, or resources, explains the wealth and poverty of nations. A brilliant and clear-eyed challenge to the idea that poor societies can become economically advanced through outside intervention, this book has the potential to change our understanding of world economic history.