Just in case you get a 403 redirect because of traffic overload to prometheus6.org, try this copy of the article at
http://www.rageboy.com/Stupidity.html
Keep in mind that Cippolla defines "stupidity" in ECONOMIC terms (not the "common" definition of the term):
A stupid person is a person who causes lossesto another person or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses.
In essence, an economic actor that deals in "lose lose" propositions. Whereas the "intelligent" individual deals in "win win" propositions.
I think the most important thing about the article was this passage:
" Whether one considers classical, ormedieval, or modern or contemporary times one is impressed by the fact that any country moving uphill has its unavoidable [sigma] fraction of stupid people. However the country moving uphill also has an unusually high fraction of intelligent people who manage to keep the [sigma] fraction at bay and at the same time produce enough gains for themselves and the other members of the community to make progress a certainty.
In a country which is moving downhill, thefraction of stupid people is still equal to [sigma]; however in the remaining population one notices among those in power an alarming proliferation of the bandits with overtones of stupidity (sub-area B.sub.2 of quadrant B in figure 3) and among those not in power an equally alarming growth in the number of helpless individuals (area H in basic graph, fig. 1). Such change in the composition of the non-stupid population inevitably strengthens the destructive power of the [sigma] fraction and makes decline a certainty. And the country goes to Hell."
In essence, in "developing countries" that suffer from misdevelopment, chronic poverty, etc. the orientation of the political and economic systems are towards banditry. I see this as happening through either relatively closed economies monopolized a few elite families or predatory government policies which retard economic growth. Also, brain drain through emigration serves to dry up the supply of the middle class and others who believe in "creating value for value" exchanges.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...ing/ai_4793220
http://www.rageboy.com/Stupidity.html