Is it a coincident that all the early civilizations are now backward countries. Egypt is poor, so is India, Iraq(Babylon) is a mess, China was mostly poor until very recently, even Greece are doing badly now. Iran (Persian) is being labeled as a evil state, they are not poor only because of oil.

Then look at all these former barbarians(Sorry for the term, but you get the point) that are doing well, Germany(Anglo-Saxon), Britian, France, Finland, Japanese, Hong Kong and Russia(Rus). Hopefully, Dr. Jared Diamond is here to answer.