Today, the average Korean works a thousand hours more a year than the average German. A thousand. … That is the end of the Great Divergence.

Source:

"The 6 Killer Apps of Prosperity." TEDGlobal 2011. Jul. 2011. Conference Presentation.

Additional Information: This quote is from historian Niall Ferguson's 2011 TED Talk about the reasons for the "Great Divergence" -- the phenomenon whereby the Western world became exponentially richer than the rest of the world, starting in the 19th century. The quote is about work ethic. Says Ferguson, the "Protestant work ethic" is one of the reasons for the West's success, but today, people in Asian countries work much longer hours people in the West. Due to this change in global work ethic dynamics, the Great Divergence is no longer happening. Watch the full TED Talk here: Niall Ferguson - The 6 Killer Apps of Prosperity

“The 6 Killer Apps of Prosperity.” TEDGlobal 2011. Jul. 2011. Conference Presentation.