Countries to be developed by 2050

[Fabio SBA]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

India is developing rapidly, but there are simply too many Indians for 40 more years of development to raise their standard of living to First World levels. Same applies to China. As for Brazil, again, fast but not spectacular levels of growth, will not be enough to raise the nation into the First World. It's important to understand what puts a country into the First World. It isn't the size of your economy; it's the size of your economy, per capita. India, and China have WAAAYYYY too many Per Capitas, and Brazil isn't growing fast enough to reach a First World standard of living in 40 years.

That's why I consider Argentina the biggest disappointment. In 1900 Argentina's per capita GDP was almost on par with the first rung of nations. Now, after a century of mismanagement, it only has a middling standard of living. The natural wealth of the country is still there, but stupidity squandered it.

Brazil lose many opportunities for boosting the development due to the stubbornness of the government for keeping a heavy influence of the state in the economy. During the 90's, the privatisations performed in the government of Fernando Henrique Cardoso were strongly accused by the populist Workers' Party, to which Lula was (and remains) the most outstanding leader, of "putting to sales the national estate", with a nationalist and patriotic appeal. And this put into the brain of the people that an interventionist state is a good thing, don't care if the competitiveness of the country will slow down. The multinational companies were regarded as enemies, instead of investors.

On the other hand, there is a lot of people in Brazil with talent for the entrepeneurship and for developing technologies. If the the Workers' Party will be defeated in further presidential elections, there is a good hope that the government will support hese people.

[Fabio SBA]

Originally Posted by Neuling

Well, if Saudi-Arabia and Libya have the same HDI as Brazil, obviously the GDP still has too much weight in the calculation of the HDI.

I don't know how the people of Libya and Saudi Arabia lives, but I think it's not a good thing to live under the Sharia. Brazil is not a developed country, but it's still a western country and shares most of the legal and cultural values with Europe, USA and most of Latin America.

Although there is a joke, which is poplar here:

In China, everything is forbidden, except what is allowed.
In USA, everything is allowed, except what is forbidden.
In Iran, everything is forbidden, including what is allowed.
In Brazil, everything is allowed, including what is forbidden.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by visitor21

HSBC 2050 list of top economies (change in rank from 2010)

That's for the sheer size of the economy, but doesn't account for how many people are living there or what average living conditions would be like.

I think Mexico actually has a fairly strong chance of making it to the top. It is the largest, most populous Spanish-speaking nation and that will pay dividends as native Spanish speaking populations grow and become more affluent in the coming decades. Mexico already has a fairly high gdp per capita and human development indice--substantially higher than most of the other countries mentioned thus far. The issues of inequality, poverty and organized crime will be difficult, but there is a possibility of bridging that gap within the four decade timespan.