Why do some states and societies thrive while others do not? What awaits us in the future? Is there a universal model that can guide our success? The author, Vadim Makhov believes that there is and that it can be found by means of careful analysis of the past. In this truly big-idea book, he presents his `lucky clover' theory in which, when four critical elements - science, society, innovation and wealth - are present, interacting and developing simultaneously, culminate in success. Having studied hundreds of sources, scrutinized numerous tangled intricacies in world history, and found interesting correlations between various events and phenomena, the author sets out to demonstrate that, through careful analysis of the past, we can find the right path to success.