One of the aspects of The Challenge Dividend concept that excites me is its role in ancient history. The idea that "challenge leads to improvement" is behind the evolution of the species, the rise of mammals and intelligence, and even humans' move from hunting & gathering to agriculture.
Last week the BBC reported that scientists have found evidence that the Sahara desert was once much more rainy and temperate. Bands of nomads followed the rains over centuries, and began domesticating animals and creating intricate pottery. However about 6,000 years ago, the weather grew hotter and the rains stopped. This challenge forced the nomads to permanently settle in areas like the Nile valley - eventually leading agriculture and the rise of the Egyptian civilization. Their dispersal and settlement led to growth throughout Africa and beyond. According to Dr Stefan Kropelin of the University of Cologne, Germany, the switch in environmental conditions acted as a "motor of Africa's evolution."
External pressure has been a motor of change and improvement for millions of years in the world's biological development. Is there any doubt that this motor can power improvement in businesses, government, and society today?
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