The Driver of Human progress

What drives human progress? I would like to think that it is free, empowered thinking, forward looking, creative innovation.
However, if you look at the underlying motivations of progress, it is fear. Fear of God or fear of not making enough money. Whatever your convictions are in a Western society, these really are the main drivers of progress. The only problem with it is, that it does not put people in a powerful position where they think openly and freely, but it rather puts people inside predefined boxes.
I am happy to understand that 1) not everyone in the Western societies thinks like this and there are great creative initiatives and truly happy people who think way out the box. 2) human progress is not driven only by the Western societies and elsewhere happy, liberated thinkers and doers come up every day with new, better, more sustainable ways of doing things.
I guess this answers why most of us do not like to be considered mainstream westerners, it is actually more of a vision of fear and slavery than a happy thought.
I guess that is why I like reading Earth, the book, it mocks our rather narrow scope of thinking. A good read, but I do not think it gives too many answers to the big questions. It merely pushes the reader to let go, smile and try to do things differently next time.