Why Are Cold Countries Richer Than Hot Countries?

[Jason Voorhees]

If you plotted GDP against temperature you'll find a clear correlation between them. Colder countries generally have higher GDP and are richer

In fact for every 1° C increase in temperature. The GDP per capita falls by a massive $762.


Scientists have long come up with theories to explain this phenomenon . It's well known fact that higher temperatures have significant effects on cognitive performance

But what is interesting is how this trend only emerged post industrial revolution

One leading theory is because of the life style people in tropics live. People from tropics hunt throughout the year, live on land that is extremely fertile, and it rains throughout the year so food is in abundance and they also live in simple mud houses because that sufficed their needs while people in colder countries has to store food and fuel because it wasn't always available and build proper well engineered houses that could with stand the cold.

Tropical climates have easier but more unpredictable environment while colder climates have a harsher but more predictable environment. Colder climates needs this kind of foresight and planning ahead of time for survival.

So cold countries survived by capital accumulation and long term planning and those are the exact skills required to thrive in a world after industrial revolution. Agriculture stopped being a big source of wealth as evrything moved to an industrial and now IT society. But before it was all agriculture and this is one of the reasons why all major civilizations and ancient kingdoms emerged from the topics and later shifted to the colder countries after the industrial revolution

 

[Jason Voorhees]

@imontheloose @Swarthy Knight @BigBallsLarry @Insomnia

 

[imontheloose]

@imontheloose @Swarthy Knight @BigBallsLarry @Insomnia

Who inhabits colder countries?

 

[Jason Voorhees]

Who inhabits colder countries?

British gentlemen like yourself ofc

 

[Insomnia]

Really interesting thread/topic. I was thinking recently about something similar, where the climate determines the success of a country.

 

[green_fn_2033]

necessity is the mother of all invention. in tropical countries, food and resources are abundant and available year round. in cold countries not so much so there was a need to innovate to make the most out of the land and scarce resources that were available.

 

[sixfoottwoltn]

interesting

 

[KT-34]

I'd say it's easier to survive in cold countries than in hot countries

Humans can handle cold way better than heat plus houses and clothing makes nearly every cold place habitable


With less focus on survival it gives more time for innovation

 

[Jason Voorhees]

@TechnoBoss @Gargantuan @Jattdontcare

 

[BigBallsLarry]

If you plotted GDP against temperature you'll find a clear correlation between them. Colder countries generally have higher GDP and are richer

View attachment 4463324


In fact for every 1° C increase in temperature. The GDP per capita falls by a massive $762.


Scientists have long come up with theories to explain this phenomenon . It's well known fact that higher temperatures have significant effects on cognitive performance

View attachment 4463329


But what is interesting is how this trend only emerged post industrial revolution

View attachment 4463332

One leading theory is because of the life style people in tropics live. People from tropics hunt throughout the year, live on land that is extremely fertile, and it rains throughout the year so food is in abundance and they also live in simple mud houses because that sufficed their needs while people in colder countries has to store food and fuel because it wasn't always available and build proper well engineered houses that could with stand the cold.

Tropical climates have easier but more unpredictable environment while colder climates have a harsher but more predictable environment. Colder climates needs this kind of foresight and planning ahead of time for survival.

So cold countries survived by capital accumulation and long term planning and those are the exact skills required to thrive in a world after industrial revolution. Agriculture stopped being a big source of wealth as evrything moved to an industrial and now IT society. But before it was all agriculture and this is one of the reasons why all major civilizations and ancient kingdoms emerged from the topics and later shifted to the colder countries after the industrial revolution

Unrelated to the topic, but whenever i view your threads i always listen to the nas song in your signature. He's a really great rapper

About the topic, i never really thought about it, i'm not an economics kind of guy. I'm unmotivated to work when it's hot so there's that.

 

[thereallegend]

Nothing to do in cold areas besides work. Cold dictates long term planning.

 

[Saint]

If you plotted GDP against temperature you'll find a clear correlation between them. Colder countries generally have higher GDP and are richer

View attachment 4463324


In fact for every 1° C increase in temperature. The GDP per capita falls by a massive $762.


Scientists have long come up with theories to explain this phenomenon . It's well known fact that higher temperatures have significant effects on cognitive performance

View attachment 4463329


But what is interesting is how this trend only emerged post industrial revolution

View attachment 4463332

One leading theory is because of the life style people in tropics live. People from tropics hunt throughout the year, live on land that is extremely fertile, and it rains throughout the year so food is in abundance and they also live in simple mud houses because that sufficed their needs while people in colder countries has to store food and fuel because it wasn't always available and build proper well engineered houses that could with stand the cold.

Tropical climates have easier but more unpredictable environment while colder climates have a harsher but more predictable environment. Colder climates needs this kind of foresight and planning ahead of time for survival.

So cold countries survived by capital accumulation and long term planning and those are the exact skills required to thrive in a world after industrial revolution. Agriculture stopped being a big source of wealth as evrything moved to an industrial and now IT society. But before it was all agriculture and this is one of the reasons why all major civilizations and ancient kingdoms emerged from the topics and later shifted to the colder countries after the industrial revolution

Makes sense how Santa clause can afford all those presents

 

[gymcel64]

what you explained is exactly the reason why it is so.
Our ancestors never had time for leisure, the moment the weather started getting nicer and warmer, they started sowing, hunting, gathering.
In scandinavia, the summer was only a period of hard labor.
Warmer seasons were just time to prepare for the winters, in an endless cycle, until technology got so good that we didn’t need to do that anymore.
This harsh cycle of life is also why people are colder in nordic countries, there was never time for leisure or pass times, only work and then survival.