Sher-e-Hindustan: Your comment suggests a poor understanding of post-WWII economic history. The "Asian Tiger" economies, with South Korea and Taiwan serving as good examples, were built on a foundation of economic protectionism, significant government intervention, planning and direction and, effectively, political one-party rule. Only after obtaining a significant level of prosperity, and accumulating significant foreign current reserves, did these countries turn to freer trade and what we in the West would consider to be democratic governance. As for China, while its PPP GDP now surpasses that of the U.S. its per capita PPP GDP is only 15K in comparison to the U.S. figure of 57K. China's economy would have to grow by about 400% to allow its people to obtain the prosperity enjoyed by Americans. And China with its aging population may already be experiencing the wealth-growth paradox whereby economic growth slows considerably after a certain level of prosperity is obtained.