Some of what you mention is indeed true, but some of it is selective. The US is truly a union, and one that is increasingly heterogenous. The US higher educati

Some of what you mention is indeed true, but some of it is selective. The US is truly a union, and one that is increasingly heterogenous. The US higher education system is the best in the world, which is why you will see wealthy Chinese send their kids to the US (or Oxbridge). The high school system is very mixed, as half the union runs around trying to convince the world that math is racist (no joke). I’ve lived in China. You’re not likely to see the next SpaceX emerge from there for all the reasons you mention. It’s an economy that is tuned to replicating/copying. But this is so culturally enshrined now that I cannot fathom the emergence of the Sino version of the American Dream.