A central goal of the Fraser Institute is to provide interested Canadians with information about what works and what doesn't when it comes to creating, maintaining, and improving prosperity. In short, our view of a prosperous society is one that affords opportunities to everyone for personal and professional fulfilment. This book is about how best to achieve those aims. One of the book's underlying tenets is that stagnation has been the overwhelming norm for human society. We recognize that the remarkable progress that began to take hold in the 18th century is atypical in the scope of human history.