The US is celebrating its 250th birthday. While the country has many challenges and can behave in ways that are appalling, it has become one of the greatest (maybe the greatest) countries the world has ever seen.
While, there are many areas where the US is the best in the world there are also areas where it is something other than the best.
Below is an assessment of the position of the US relative to other countries (courtesy of ChatGPT).
| Category | Relative Position |
| Economic size | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Innovation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Science | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Entrepreneurship | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Military | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Culture | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Wealth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very high |
| Education (universities) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World leader |
| Health outcomes | ⭐⭐ Below many wealthy peers |
| Happiness | ⭐⭐⭐ Good but not leading |
| Democracy | ⭐⭐⭐ Strong, though not among the very highest-ranked democracies |
| Equality | ⭐⭐ Lower than many wealthy countries |
| Longevity | ⭐⭐ Below many wealthy peers |
The US excels in creating wealth, innovation, scientific research, entrepreneurship, and global cultural influence. At the same time, many peer nations achieve better average health outcomes, longer life expectancy, lower inequality, and higher reported life satisfaction.
You wonder what the “Founding Fathers” would think of the US today. On the one hand they would be proud that the country was still around after a precarious birth. In fact, of the 190 countries in the world today, the US is one of the oldest countries, being in the top 25 in longevity. They would be proud of all that has been accomplished.
On the other hand, across their writings (the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, etc.) our Founding Fathers wrote that the strength of the nation depends on the well-being of its people. I suspect that they would be disappointed by our sub-optimal position in health outcomes, equality, happiness, longevity and ironically democracy.
They would tell us that we still have work to do. They are right and I am sure that we will summon the strengths, spirit and capabilities that got the country this far as we tackle our unfinished business.