The Divide of Nations by R. J. Mohr

R. J. Mohr

Author

The Divide of Nations

While the countries of northern Europe are among the most economically advanced in the world, nations in sub-Saharan Africa seem unable to develop. While residents of New Zealand are able to live relatively prosperous lives, people in countries such as Haiti constantly suffer from widespread poverty and persistent underdevelopment. But what is the reason for these profound inequalities that seem to exist between different countries? Why haven’t all nations managed to develop more evenly? And what does it take for the populations of two nations located in different geographic regions to achieve an equal level of economic development? This book provides answers to these questions by presenting an in-depth analysis that uses temperature as a fundamental measure to explain the reasons for the existing wealth gap between rich and poor nations. It also provides a sound economic framework that can serve as a basis for implementing policies to improve living standards in developing countries.

Reviews

This brief but baggy study from Mohr mounts evidence for an intuitive explanation of the persistent and “staggering” wealth inequality between nations over centuries. Mohr argues that the underlying cause of disparity is temperature, with nations’ position on the globe plus “atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and local geography” playing key roles in shaping their “various economic and social outcomes,” including GDP, their Human Development Index (HDI), education level, students’ test results, and more. Mohr acknowledges exceptions to this simple but persuasive idea, digging into why a nation like Singapore has developed rapidly while its surrounding nations have not, or why the income gap has lessened between southern and northern regions of the U.S. have in recent decades.

The “revolution” of air-conditioning, Mohr argues, is a crucial driver in these cases, and his case is clear and persuasive. Of course, that comfort comes at a cost, and in a final section Mohr draws on an analysis of numbers of Cooling Degree Days around the world to demonstrate the extraordinary energy expenditure it will take to cool hot regions enough to become competitive. (Mohr is convincing when noting the necessity of air conditioning for growth and stability and the “formidable” challenge of providing it.) Mohr backs up his claims throughout with original analysis of nations’ (and sometimes their inner regions’) per capita GDP, HDI, and other factors, showing his work in easy-to-follow charts, demonstrating that “the availability of conducive academic and working environments where individuals can effectively work and study is crucial for economic development within a society.”

While the major contentions in The Divide of Nations have some persuasive power, the text itself feels padded and repetitive. Mohr explains basic ideas multiple times within a chapter or even a page, and continually identifies the analyses here—which feel like starting points rather than conclusive proof—as “comprehensive.” Still, Mohr demonstrates strong correlations between temperature and the strengths of nations’ institutions, and his crunching of numbers offers some understanding of why.

Takeaway: Original study arguing that wealth disparity between nations comes down to temperature.

Comparable Titles: Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson’s Why Nations Fail, Branko Milanovic’s Global Inequality.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: B+
Editing: C
Marketing copy: A-

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