The document compares characteristics of poor and rich countries to determine the key difference between them. It argues that the difference is not factors like a country's age, natural resources, or the intellectual abilities of its people. Rather, the main difference lies in the attitudes and behaviors promoted through a country's culture and education. Rich countries tend to emphasize principles like ethics, integrity, responsibility, respect for laws and others, work ethic, savings, punctuality. In poor countries, fewer people follow these principles in their daily lives. The document concludes that lack of these "functional principles" is why some countries are poor, not due to lack of natural resources or nature, but rather lack of the right attitudes.