What's interesting about this is the trend of developing countries that initially have massive economic growth looking for a while like they might overtake the

What's interesting about this is the trend of developing countries that initially have massive economic growth looking for a while like they might overtake the US, but never actually making it. I'd contend that it's the role of the fundamental openness and liberalness of US and European society that fuels the level of innovation needed to really make it to first-world level. Developing countries are often saddled with terribly oppressive, corrupt, and inefficient governments and societies. They can develop a strong manufacturing economy without really changing that, but getting beyond that to a modern innovation/knowledge economy seems to require deep societal changes that are difficult, time-consuming, and often involve the downfall of the people currently in power there.