This is a weird blog. I have put together my view of the wealth of nations. I am going on a per capita basis. I have also visited most of the countries listed. I leave China off the list of the wealthiest because China may be a big producer and consumer but there are a billion Chinese who are barely part of the modern nation by any definition and barely speak a common language.
First is the U.S. with the wealthiest people on the planet and the most productive industrial engine. It is symbiotically connected to Canada which is an extractive state much like Arizona or Montana (oil, gas, mining).
Second is Japan with spectacular wealth, hard working people and a high level of artistic and technological genius. Japan is closely related commercially to countries it formerly occupied such as Taiwan and South Korea.
Third is Germany with many symbiotically related nations including the successful Dutch, French and Scandinavian countries; as well as other neighbors.
Fourth is Israel, today’s most productive country if one counts the over 5% of Israeli’s who live outside the country. Israeli run companies are the fourth largest number of companies on the world’s major stock exchanges and the number keeps growing.
Fifth is Britain with strong connections to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
These five countries and their associated commercial alliances provide most of the wealth generation for the planet.
What is interesting from a meritocracy, diversity, openness perspective is that they are all similar. The U.S. and Israel are the most outstanding on the basis of meritocracy and diversity. Israel still has a lingering founders’ establishment but it is rapidly disappearing.
Japan does the best in openness. It also has the longest history of meritocracy because the hereditary elite have always adopted the most meritorious citizens into the elite strata.
Germany has a unique form of meritocracy where the educational system has a history of sorting citizens into special school tracks that emphasize their talents.
England is riding on its history as the first nation with a modern commercial base. Sort of a senior citizen in the world of commerce.
A highly speculative and personal blog. I just wanted to write about these issues.