China's economy was 25% bigger than America’s in 2022, if similar items are valued at similar prices.

That’s actually crazy because in a capitalist banking system those funds are ideally reinvested into production via loans to firms. Although this is only because a reserve requirement is in place to limit how much can be lent vs how much there is in deposits.

Workers saving and retiring early? How is that good for property owners? They need to keep on working at risk of bankruptcy and homelessness to an early grave.

Per capita spending is a red herring. Much of the total spending is outside of the consumer sphere. If a nation builds a low-cost rail system that can transport people more cheaply than, say, an outdated domestic airline industry — is that nation poorer than one which has a less efficient infrastructure?

Obviously, if the question is which country is more modern and more developed, then the nation with more efficient and reliable infrastructure is superior.

If the goal is to turn an inefficient and aging society into a good thing, then you abstract from the necessity of all costs, and regard every cost as a benefit, regardless of whether that cost was necessary.

Peru is basically a series of latifundia in trenchcoat