“You have to work hard if you are a Finn or you freeze to death.”
I read a similar observation years ago about things as basic as eating; it was a theory that Europeans had come to prominence because they had to struggle more than people from warmer climates (with multiple crops each year). One hole in the theory is that if it was just about food China would have had settlements all over thousands of years ago.
“if it was just about food China would have had settlements all over thousands of years ago.”
Yes, you know climate must have an impact on economic prosperity. Just go to Hawaii. When it is 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity you will not be rushing to the next meeting. (The other Islands similar to Hawaii but not in the US are all impoverished.)
In terms of China, I think I remember that the Chinese have a view that they are the “middle kingdom” or the center of the civilized world. The rest of the world isn’t worthy of Chinese culture, so they don’t go over seas to establish colonies.