In this exploration of how and why different societal orders have emerged, the author analyzes their basic components - values, political governance and economic systems. He shows how the match between these components and the internal and external environments of a country determine its social, political and economic effectiveness. Then, taking the key countries of the world separately, he indicates the ways in which each might achieve higher effectiveness by making modifications in these basic components and, in the process, facilitate the emergence of a world order.