Successfully copying another country's technology is very hard and if you can do that you can usually start innovating when the vein runs out. The US got its i

Successfully copying another country's technology is very hard and if you can do that you can usually start innovating when the vein runs out. The US got its industrial start by stealing British power loom designs. For many years Japan had a reputation as a bunch of copycats who couldn't innovate. I can think of lots of examples where one country tried to copy another's technology and failed to produce a successful industry. And I can think of a number which copied successfully then went on to innovate. But I'm not sure I can think of any countries which did a good job at copying technology then failed to go on to start innovating.