So, I looked at other historic examples. The British, Dutch, and Spanish. (You can add German/Austrian and the French, close contenders).
They're all still very well-off!
Yes, my country was significantly larger and more influential a century ago. It even was an empire, with an emperor and all! But no, I don't feel like the average person born back then had a better life than me.
This is true for (almost) anywhere in the world. Everybody has a better life _on average_ than 100 years ago.
> It even was an empire, with an emperor and all!
But the fact that your country was the capital of an empire a century ago is a large reason for why it is richer now, and generational wealth was indeed passed on.
This perhaps is visible if you look at countries that used to be subservient to yours, in empire times. Are they not - relatively - still poorer than the former empire capital?
But all I'm saying is that there's a path to preserving wealth beyond outright remaining an empire. (Whether it's still possible after making hypothetical full reparations is a difficult question I don't know the answer to.)
If America was suddenly no longer a hegemon, it would be qualitatively different. There are other hegemons in the world that would step into the void left by the U.S., and it would be their influence that would be felt most the world over, including by the countries you named.
Another problem (which Trump is idiotically pushing) is for everyone else to grow their military. Do we really think the world is safer with more countries having larger militaries that are an election or coup away from no longer being allies?
Ie China is not doing sudden backstabbing of its allies, strongarming weak at their weakest point. In contrary ie it helped develop parts of Africa that were severely neglected by western powers, not for free but that was never the case. They did some not so nice stuff, but so did US in the past, in much higher numbers. Tens of millions of civilians are dead because of failed US policies and invasions which ended in withdrawals and defeats in past 80 years.
With all negative stuff on China (uighur treatment, other cases of human rights violations) its still shines compared to US now. Now for any outsider (>95% of mankind), why should they still ally with US now?
China seems a lot more reliable than the US, and has seem more reliable for quite a while.
You speak as if the US does not exploit others dry. The US is a lot more malignant than you make it sound.
Not sure I’d call the place well off. Granted, a lot of the reason they’re in this situation is because they put everything into stopping the Nazis and thus saving the world. The US kinda lucked into inheriting the UK’s wealth.
Japan is even lower on the list, but personally I’d rather live in Osaka than Mobile.
I do agree with your larger point, it is however counterbalanced in part. Gross per capita income doesn't reveal the full picture.
All whites, all allies of the Hegemon, and most importantly, all colonizers, what a coincidence
if this is a satire, I have to say it's a brilliant one