Once a population values competence and responsibility, institutions often reflect it through higher trust, stronger work ethics, and a willingness to invest in long-term projects. This is where “good times” emerge: security improves, productivity rises, and systems become more efficient because people believe effort matters and corruption is less tolerated. After major upheavals, many societies have experienced bursts of reconstruction that feel like proof of Hopf’s claim—hard-earned habits get converted into stability. However, this transition also plants the seeds of the next stage, because success changes what people expect life to feel like. [...]
