Would the US be as rich and powerful today if Europe hadn’t wiped itself out twice?

Capitalism and democracy are the reasons we’re the most powerful country. Europe’s destruction of itself twice over didn’t hurt either

Hmmmmmm...Europe as a whole probably would have been better off had the Germans had an early victory in WW1, or beaten the Soviets in WW2

Europe's history..the way they built cities, sanitation, etc

Was all a blueprint for what not to do. We avoided a lot of grief by not doing what they did a lot.

The answer is probably not. WWII and the post-war era we experienced one of the largest outward shift in aggregate demand for goods we have ever seen on this planet.

Prior to the Great War the U.S. was the world's leader in agriculture and industry. We were a creditor nation. Without 2 world wars we likely wouldn't have seen the rise of the military industrial complex and the subsequent burden it puts on our federal budget. In other words, we were already the richest nation. We'd likely be much the same philosophically as we were 103 years ago: isolationist with the only exception revolving around strengthening our economy.

Surrounded by ocean with no desire to be the world's police, we would likely have a small military as no nation would possess the resources to mount an invasion of the mainland us. We might have seen an uptick in military size/technology during a conflict with Japan over their attempt to create a greater Asiatic sphere.

Also, there likely wouldn't have been a Soviet union.

The post war boom helped a lot but the US has about ideal geography.

A long navigable river up the middle of the country. Extensive arable land. Numerous natural harbors. Oil. Coal.

Long story short yes.

Look at our industrial capabilities, natural resources, physical size, and natural borders.

We have every advantage and believe in free market capitalism (used to at least) which is the most efficient and effective economic engine ever devised.

Cool, now add up SS, medicare, and all of the other checks issued out. Hint, it’s bigger than the military.

quote:

---

The post war boom helped a lot but the US has about ideal geography.

A long navigable river up the middle of the country. Extensive arable land. Numerous natural harbors. Oil. Coal.

---

And borders with only 2 countries plus being on the Atlantic and Pacific.

quote:

---

Prior to the Great War the U.S. was the world's leader in agriculture and industry.

---

Not technology, though, that was the Germans. Much of that was shifted to the US because of WWII. The nuclear program, NASA, much of our chemical industry is based on German patents that we took.

quote:

---

we were already the richest nation.

---

That was Britain due to their empire. WWI changed that with our massive arms sales and loans to Britain. We drained them financially.

quote:

---

We'd likely be much the same philosophically as we were 103 years ago: isolationist with the only exception revolving around strengthening our economy.

---

We'd probably be less expansionist than we've become, but do't forget the Spanish American War. That really was the beginning of our empire building.

quote:

---

Also, there likely wouldn't have been a Soviet union.

---

Yep, we pretty much had to build our power to counter that and it changed the country and the world.

Overall the word would be better off if there had been no world wars. The US would be just fine economically, maybe a better standard of living since we could have spent less on the military. But we would be a major power instead of THE dominant power.