ABSTRACT
Self-control has been an important factor in Western civilization. In his recent economic history, Clark (2007) contended that it played a decisive role in the Industrial Revolution and the economic and cultural ascendancy of Western civilization. Noting that the Industrial Revolution occurred in England rather than other countries with similar governmental and other structures, Clark proposed that the key difference was that in England, the upper classes reproduced far more than the lower ones, and given the limited opportunities in the social structure, this entailed substantial downward mobility. As a result, the lower classes gradually filled up with people who had the genetic and environmental benefits of the upper classes, including self-control. This created the potential for a working class that could be relied on to be punctual, diligent, and effective at the factory work required for the Industrial Revolution—something Clark notes that many third world countries have been still unable to achieve centuries after the British showed the way.
