The Aim of Growth is Growth

Something fun to consider.

Germany experienced two major depressions, two world wars, the massive destruction of infrastructure and its working class, hyperinflation, two political revolutions, and yet was a leading economy by 1950. Yes, Marshall plan, but still.

Japan lost two major cities, faced a catastrophic collapse of its national infrastructure and a poverty gap. When the launch was made against Japan after Nagasaki, the US forces were one day shy of being greeted by a citizen’s militia of the elderly and infirm armed with sticks. Japan recovered and was, within twenty years, starting to become the economic specter American investors feared.

When a country learns how to grow, and when they realise that growth can overwhelm many of the problems that plagued them, they never lose that taste. Growth solves problems. Bigger economies create problems, but they solve more than they cause – and they do not do so at someone else’s expense (necessarily).

Now consider that China has been reporting 9-10% growth every year for decades.