>The other option is to invest abroad, and repatriate the profit. In other words, colonialism. I wouldn't say the West "has forgotten"; they are still extremel

>The other option is to invest abroad, and repatriate the profit. In other words, colonialism. I wouldn't say the West "has forgotten"; they are still extremely good at it with careful financial engineering, they can operate it without looking like slave drivers. The problem is there is only so many places you can invest and the west has burned enough bridges where any sovereign nation is incredibly careful when taking money from the west.