Why Greater Prosperity in the Northern Hemisphere

Abstract

Written by renowned Colombian poet Olga Elena Mattei, this article presents a speculative comparative-history essay on the causes of unequal development between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres throughout human history. The author proposes the hypothesis that the concave geographic configuration of the Northern Hemisphere's coastlines favored cultural, commercial, and technological exchange among peoples since prehistoric times, while the predominantly convex coasts of the Southern Hemisphere hindered such exchange. The text reviews specific cases supporting this hypothesis and contrasts the Northern Hemisphere's endogenous development with the extractivist colonial experience suffered by South America and Africa, closing with a chronological memorandum of prehistoric technological milestones compiled by the author.