Quote:
Originally Posted by California Tanker
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leesifer
Quote:
I have here from The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul Kennedy, Relative shares of world manufacturing output 1880 (percent)
Britain 22.9
US 14.7
Germany 8.5
France 7.8
1900
Britain 18.5
US 23.6
Germany 13.2
France 6.8
1913
Britain 13.6
US 32.0
Germany 14.8
France 6.1
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Damned if I know why you did that, the figures clearly show the US stomping ahead over time.
I think the US's international weight was less than this would imply, however, as it would have taken up a stupid amount of manufacturing ability just to keep the country running: Look at how many miles of railroad needed to be built and run in 1913 vs in the UK, for example. The Global Economy of today wasn't there, all that produce has to get across the water somehow, whilst the UK's exports just needed to get across the Channel. Militarily also, the US was insignificant until mid WWII, barring the Navy.
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Actually, Kennedy points out that the economy was more globally integrated in the early 20th century than at any point after WWI. Until maybe the 1990s.
You are right about the military spending. There are other statistics in there that make that clear. The US did not grow up to be a military superpower until somewhere during WWII. It didn't live up to its economic potential either until somewhere in the 1940s I think.