What are the secrets behind the prosperity of the Scandinavian nations?

What is the source for the theory of the "cycle of nations"? Is it 200 years? Is it referring to Rome?

• I think it is called the "cycle of nations" and there are around 8 steps to it starting with bondage to spiritual faith working from there to prosperity and then downhill to complacency and then back to bondage again. I believe someone claimed this describes Rome. I also heard this cycle lasts 200 years. I was wondering if anyone has a scholarly reference to this. Who first wrote about this theory? Where is it published? Even if there is a theory that comes close to this, that would help. This is part of a book that I am writing. If there is indeed a theory of a 200 year cycle of nations, that would be extremely helpful. If you know a lot about this and would be willing to talk further, please give me your email address, so I can consult with you. Thanks.

• Answer:

  Here is a name and date: http://www.flhef.org/pdf/The%20Cycle%20of%20Nations.pdf