<i>&quot;Why did such a culture develop in these societies?&quot;</i><p>&#x27;Guns, Germs and Steel&#x27; by Jared Diamond is probably the best attempt at answering that that I have read. His version of the Needham Question was put to him by a member of the John Frum cargo cult, and it is basically &quot;How did your people end up with all the cargo?&quot;.