This two-volume set provides fundamental analyses of the relations between cultural variables and economic performance. It encompasses indispensable contributions by economists and other influential social scientists in this growing interdisciplinary area. The classic and more recent articles in the first volume cover the effects of values and religion on economic performance, the importance of social capital and trust for economic and political outcomes, and the connections between culture, institutions and development. The second volume includes recent theoretical and empirical economic analyses, focusing on the intergenerational transmission of historical and cultural traits and their effects on macroeconomic and microeconomic outcomes.

With an original introduction by the editor, the volumes will prove an essential tool for researchers, scholars and practitioners interested in the deep roots of economic outcomes and development.