Essay: Why the USA's per capita income is MUCH higher than Russia's

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The United States will likely be the strongest country for the foreseeable future and this is is due to the strengths of the USA and partly due to the weaknesses of China and Russia.

See: The United States will be the leading power in the world for the foreseeable future

Previously, I wrote the essays at:

Before reading this essay, please read the above essays as they give some key information related to this essay.

The strength of the United States economy

Map of the United States

On October 17, 2024, The Economist stated concerning the United States:

“ Over the past three decades America has left the rest of the rich world in the dust. In 1990 it accounted for about two-fifths of the GDP of the G7. Today it makes up half. Output per person is now about 30% higher than in western Europe and Canada, and 60% higher than in Japan—gaps that have roughly doubled since 1990. Mississippi may be America’s poorest state, but its hard-working residents earn, on average, more than Brits, Canadians or Germans. Lately, China too has gone backwards. Having closed in rapidly on America in the years before the pandemic, its nominal GDP has slipped from about three-quarters of America’s in 2021 to two-thirds today.[1] ”

For more information, please read:

Key statistics and information related to USA's per capita income being MUCH higher than Russia's

See also: List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita

A nation's gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita is the PPP value of all its final goods and services produced within an economy in a particular year, divided by the average (or mid-year) population for the same year.[2]

USA:

  • GDP (PPP) per capita in 2024: Approximately $81,500 for the USA using the purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita metric[3]
  • World ranking in 2024: Ranked 8th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita[4]

Russia:

  • GDP (PPP) per capita in 2024: Approximately $44,000[5]
  • World ranking in 2024: Ranked 43th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) per capita[6]



Source: Why the USA's per capita income is MUCH higher than Russia's



Source: Why is the USA economically stronger than Russia?


Source: Why is the USA so innovative?

Articles related to why the USA's per capita income is MUCH higher than Russia's

The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782.[7]

Bald eagles, like other eagles worldwide, are seen as symbols of strength, courage, and freedom. And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle is indigenous only to North America.[8]

USA:

Russia:

Additional explanation and commentary

As noted above, a nation's gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita is the PPP value of all its final goods and services produced within an economy in a particular year, divided by the average (or mid-year) population for the same year.[9]

In the countries of Switzerland and the USA, which are more responsive to the will of the people and where the corrupt/dictatorial leader head leader and oligarchs don't often reign supreme compared to Russia, Switzerland and the USA rank #6 and #8 respectively in terms of GPP (PPP) per capita in 2024. In 2024, it was about $93,000 per capita for Switzerland and it was about $82,000 for the USA using the PPP metric. Generally speaking, comparing Switzerland to the USA, Switzerland is more responsive to the people than the USA due to referendums, etc. and it is about 20% wealthier per capita.

The war in Ukraine has had some extremely bad effects on Russia in terms of its people and economy (See: Vladimir Putin's foolish decision to launch an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022).

As far as Russia's leadership views on the autocrat Vladimir Putin deciding to launch this disastrous war, here is a very telling news report: Russia defector reveals 'majority' of people inside Kremlin unhappy with war in Ukraine, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 2023

However, Putin generally expresses no unhappiness with Russia continuing this war or launching the 2022 invasion, but recently said he is open to talking to Trump (See: Why did Putin invade Ukraine? A theory of degenerate autocracy by Georgy Egorov and Konstantin Sonin, National Burea of Economic Research, Working Paper 31187, April 2023).

In 2024, Russia was ranked 43th in the world by GDP (PPP per capita). And in 2024, it was about $44,000 GDP per capita using PPP metric.

The war in Ukraine has caused high inflation, growing company bankruptcies and it made Russia's labor shortages and demographic crisis worse.

Please see:

  • Quagmire or catastrophe: Experts are once again predicting the imminent collapse of the Russian economy, but how likely is it to happen in 2025, Novaya Gazeta Europe, December 26, 2024



Source: Why did Putin invade Ukraine? A theory of degenerate autocracy by Georgy Egorov and Konstantin Sonin, National Burea of Economic Research, Working Paper 31187, April 2023



I used to be more interested in Russia, but the ButterGate scandal put a damper on that.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Russia's war economy is well balanced to supply both guns and butter, but the price of butter itself is now soaring as surging inflation distorts parts of the economy. The price of a block of butter has risen by 25.7 per cent since December, according to the state statistics service.

'The Armageddon with butter is escalating,' Russian economists claim on Telegram.

See: Butter prices soar in Russia amid surging inflation in war economy, CBC News, November 2, 2024 and Russians Resort to Stealing Butter Amid Shortages, Newsweek, October 29, 2024



The places that millionares are leaving in 2023-2024. Russian is 4rth on the list.

For more information, please see: Top 12 reasons why people are flocking to the USA and leaving the corrupt, authoritarian countries of China and Russia



Read: Russia: A land of potholes, bad roads and deteriorating car quality!



Skyscraper-high sewage plume of feces erupts in Moscow.[1]

See: Russia's sewer crisis



Goose stepping changing of the guards in Russia at the Kremlin in 2006.[10]

*Video: Goose-stepping guards at the Kremlin

"Russia is a declining power, and it will only get weaker with time." - International relations scholar John Mearsheimer

See: Almost half of global strategists think Russia could become a failed state within the next 10 years, Fortune magazine, January 23, 2023

For more information, please see: Will Russia become a failed state within 10 years? Is Russia currently a failed state? Will Russia eventually become a failed state?

Russia's decline and some Roman Empire decline parallels

See also: Russia's decline and some Roman Empire decline parallels and Is Russia a failed state?

Vladimir Putin

"Russia is a declining power, and it will only get weaker with time." - International relations scholar John Mearsheimer

Government corruption and instability

Roman Empire and corruption and political instability:

"Being the Roman emperor had always been a particularly dangerous job, but during the tumultuous second and third centuries it nearly became a death sentence. Civil war thrust the empire into chaos, and more than 20 men took the throne in the span of only 75 years, usually after the murder of their predecessor." - 8 Reasons Why Rome Fell, History.com

Russia and government corruption and instability:

Roads and water/sewers deterioration in the Roman Empire and Russia

  • Russian road and sewer system decline as a sign of a waning country: The decline of the Roman Empire's infrastructure was mainly caused by a lack of dedicated funding for maintenance, political turmoil , and the vastness of the Roman Empire making it difficult to manage and repair infrastructure effectively, leading to aqueducts, roads, and other public works falling into disrepair, especially during the later stages of the Roman empire; as more resources were diverted towards military defense against barbarian invasions, funding for infrastructure projects dwindled significantly. As of December 2024, Russia is involved in 4 wars (Ukraine and 3 wars in Africa).

Russia's poor road/sewer quality:

Economic problems: Romand Empire and Russia

Russia/Roman Empire decline and some parallels: "The primary economic problems that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire included rampant inflation, currency devaluation, excessive taxation, a widening wealth gap between the elite and common people, and a decline in trade due to unstable currency, leading to a stagnant economy and inefficient resource allocation across the empire."[11]

The Russian ruble is down and Russia has high inflation. Putin just raised taxes on businesses and the wealthy (See: Russia Turns to Tax Hikes, Other Measures to Fund Its War). "Yes, Russia has been experiencing growing inequality, with the top 1% of earners taking a larger share of the national income and the wealthiest 10% owning a larger share of the country's wealth."[2]

Russia's inflation problem:

Russia's declining rubble problem:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus attacking T4 lymphocytes

Russia decline and Roman Empire decline, Plagues

Roman Empire: "The Roman Empire's decline was significantly impacted by several major plagues, most notably the "Antonine Plague" which struck around 165 AD, considered one of the first recorded pandemics, and is often linked to the beginning of the empire's decline as it decimated the population and weakened the military, leaving the empire vulnerable to barbarian invasions; other plagues like the "Plague of Cyprian" further contributed to the empire's instability and eventual fall by causing widespread death and economic disruption".[12]

Russia has an AIDS epidemic. - Russia faces shortage of HIV/AIDS drugs, DW News, 2023

Coronavirus pandemic and Russia: 807,084 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began, 2024

Why is the United States a wealthy country?

The flag of the United States
Source: Why is the united states a rich country?

Why has the West been so successful?

See: Why has the West been so successful?

In the above map, the Western World regions of the world are colored light blue.

There are countries in Asia that have adopted much of Western values such as Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

The above graphic comes from the video Why the West Won’t Collapse with Stephen Kotkin (Stephen Kotkin is an American historian, academic, and author.)

For more information, please see: Why has the West been so successful?

Why are some countries more productive than others?

See also: High income countries are rarely authoritarian countries in our technological age driven by innovation

Why are some countries more productive than others?

The USA has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world - significantly higher than both China and Russia

See also: The USA has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world - significantly higher than both China and Russia

Investopedia says about the importance of labor productivity to an economy, "Labor productivity is largely driven by investment in capital, technological progress, and human capital development. Labor productivity is directly linked to improved standards of living in the form of higher consumption."[13]

According the Yahoo Finance: "According to Yahoo Finance: "Efficiency in production, also coined as productivity, is one of the major driving forces behind economic resilience in a country... The United States has one of the strongest economies in the world. The country hosts some of the largest companies in the world, which contributes to the high GDP per capita in the country."[14]

As can be seen in the map above, the USA has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world and it is significantly higher than both China and Russia.[15]

Why are some countries more innovative than others?

See: Why are some countries more innovative than others?

VisualCapitalist.com ranked the USA 3rd in innovation in 2023.[16]

For more information, please see:

Are some cultures better than others?

Cultural characteristics of the most productive countries per capita

See also: List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita

Pareto principle and the world's wealthiest regions: Pareto principle and share of world GNP

Liechtenstein:

Austrian/French/German influences, business-oriented, Roman Catholic, low debt as a nation, into the arts/music (Creativity/Openness), low television watching

Austrian culture: The Untold Story of Vienna’s Global Influence. Catholic. The values of cooperation (See: Agreeableness/harmony), politeness, formality, gemütlichkeit (warmth or happiness), neutrality/peacefulness, conservative/moderateness, artistry (Openness/creativity), privacy, directness and practicality (See: Austrian core concepts and An introduction to Austrian people).

French culture: Liberty, equality (All citizens have the same rights and obligations), fraternity, intellectualism, formality, courtesy, individualism, and artistry (openness/creativity). See: French core values. See also: Why I’m Bullish on France, and French Tech and I’m bullish about France, but few agree, 2024

Singapore City.

German culture: Efficiency, punctuality (See: Time management), order and organization, family, community, strive for perfection/excellence/precision, critical thinking and practicality (See: German core values).

Luxembourg:

Roman Catholic, Openness (multilingual and multicultural country), pro-European, cautious, and rich cultural history in music/painting/photography

Monaco:

Tourism and banking. Low income/business taxes. Roman Catholic.

Singapore:

Core British values: Democracy, rule of law, stoicism, diligence, class, respect, tolerance, individual liberty, politeness, reserved, fairness, regional diversity (tolerance) and humor (See: British core values).

Switzerland: Switzerland is 32% Catholic and 20% Swiss Protestantism in 2022.

Punctuatual (Time management and reliability), openness, commitment to quality and excellence, sense of community and civic responsibility and balanced view of life (See: The Swiss Character: How Are Swiss People?. German, French and Italian influences.

Italian core values: Italian core values

"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." - French historian and politician Alexis de Tocqueville

USA:

Openness/creativity/innovation, business orientation and freedom. Church attendance much higher than Russia's and Europe's. See: Christianity and social stability

British influence. Germanic cultural influence in much of the country. Irish and Italian cultural influence in the Northeast. Japanese cultural influence in Hawaii. Western civilization cultural influence (Christianity, Roman/Greek, Enlightenment). See also: American culture

Ireland:

Core cultural tradition: Strong family values, Christian influence, sense of community, wit, modesty/humility, ingenuity/resourcefulness/creativity, patriotism, warmth, mateship, love of storytelling and an appreciation for tradition (See: Core Irish cultural concepts and Cultural of Ireland)

Norway:

Highly developed mixed economy. Oil wealth. Openness. Strong sense of community. Freedom. Equality under the law. High civic engagement. Humility. Respect. Tolerance. Love of nature.

Nordic values: The Nordic countries share values such as openness, trust, innovation, sustainability, and humanity. See: Nordic values

In Norwegian business culture, some values include:

  • Flat structures
  • Cooperation
  • Informal and quick communication
  • Trust among people
  • Balance of work and private life
  • Punctuality and honesty

Bermuda:

British/Caribbean/Portuguese/African/Native American/American cultural influences. Protestant/Christian influence.

Cayman Islands:

British Influence, tourism and financial services.

Isle of Man:

Irish influence. Low-tax economy with insurance, information and communications technology (ICT), and offshore banking forming key sectors of the island's economy (See: Economy of the Isle of Man).

Analysis of two major powers which are not superpowers: France's GNI per capita (PPP) vs. Russia's GNI per capita (PPP) in 2023


The flag of Russia


Flag of France



  • France's GNI per capita (PPP) in 2023 was about $45,000
  • Russia's GNI per capita (PPP) in 2023 was $14,250
  • In 2024, France ranked #9th most powerful region in the world and Russia was ranked the 10th most powerful region in the world.[3]

France and Russian cultures:

  • French culture: Liberty, equality (All citizens have the same rights and obligations), fraternity, intellectualism, formality, courtesy, individualism, and artistry (openness/creativity). See: French core values.

Give me liberty, or give me death!



"Give me liberty, or give me death!" - Patrick Henry



User: Conservative's international relations essays

User:Conservative's essays

See also

References

  1. ↑ [America’s economy is bigger and better than ever], The Economist, 2024
  2. ↑ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
  3. ↑ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
  4. ↑ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
  5. ↑ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
  6. ↑ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
  7. ↑ The American Bald Eagle
  8. ↑ The American Bald Eagle
  9. ↑ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
  10. ↑ Changing of the guards in Russia at the Kremlin, 2006
  11. ↑ Roman Empire fall economic problems, Google search
  12. ↑ Roman Empire fall and plagues, Google search
  13. ↑ Labor Productivity: What It Is, How to Calculate & Improve It, Investopedia
  14. ↑ 25 Most Productive Countries Per Capita, Yahoo Finance
  15. ↑ Most Productive Countries 2024
  16. ↑ Ranked: The Most Innovative Countries in 2023
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