Hagbard Celine
Senior Member
I doubt that we can create a scientific and statistical study of what has made America so wealthy and powerful. I think that many factors have influenced America. The protestant work ethic is probably one such factor. Another factor may be slave labor. Another factor may be the fertile land that was practically taken from those who were here before the European immigrants arrived. There are probably many more factors too.
You're right. I think our culture (western) culture is the variable that gives us good results. Western cultural ideals have been proven to be the best way for humans to live successfully and peacefully together on this planet. When applied wholeheartedly, see Japan, Western ideals can bring people from living in grass huts to the high standards of living we enjoy here, in Europe, in Japan and in other parts of the world where Western culture has been used as the framework for society there. Christianity is just a facet of the culture, it isn't the reason we are successful. If you said Christianity is the reason we're successful, you'd have to say the genocide of the Indians, tobacco and slavery are the reasons we're successful. They're just facets of the culture. Part of our history. Ninjas, sushi and Pockey are the reasons Japan is successful.