How did a 250-year-old country such as the United States become more powerful than a 3000-year-old civilization such as China?

Niklaus Hostettler replied thru Quora 

1. 90% of the original people of the Americas were wiped out by diseases.
2. The US is in about the best land on this planet: Agriculture, natural resources, fantastic climate, hardly any natural obstacle like mountains and water, …
3. Socio-economic problems in Asia, mostly China, and Europe caused huge emigrations, not just labor but also capital. This also included brain drain
4. No enemies to worry about - to this day the US cannot be invaded.
5. Colonists wanted an expansion of colonialism which played a far greater part of the war of independence, and they did get their way. The Spanish-American war made the US a world wide colonial power. Much of the Americas was soon under control of D.C.
6. No limitations, plenty of space, and from today’s perspective the wastefulness and inefficiencies would be considered insanity.

Then came WW-II.

The world was delivered to US on a silver platter. The US was seen as the liberator and in no time hardly a country was left were US corporations didn’t have a presence. The Marshal Plan was pure genius. No, it never was this giving moneys away so many delusionally believe but was giving gift cards for American goods which enabled a smooth and quick transition from a war economy to a peacetime one, also providing work for the returning soldiers. Effectively, little monies left the country. Also, the dollar was hugely overvalued dollar. The US economy was in full swing for years while the rest of the world was still scrambling to rebuild their countries.

The US was super rich compared to the rest of the world and to the extend the waste and inefficiencies, and because of its dominance economically and militarily, has been able to get its way with equal exchange being two for me and one for you.

The US, because it wasn’t stifled by inflexibilities hierarchies, and in many cases also blatant corruptions, and was always able to recover from economic setbacks easily. Many have invested in the US that there was always help when needed; to protect their investments (the dollar was stabilized quite many times by other countries).

The petro-dollar and international banking system (SWIFT). Far more powerful than the mighty military. Nobody in a position to take on the US government and where it not for this many Americans, from business to politicians, would have ended up in The Hague (The International Court of Justice) with many rotting in jail.

Then came the 21st century.

The “Never had to pay full price” that made capitalism so successful is coming to an end. Till now, it pretty much was grab in the front and “stuff into the mouth” without considering the consequences, and in the back poop all over the place everywhere without facing consequences. This first pithing the US, then the Americas, and then world wide. Not anymore, and while there still is little “front” problems the “pooping” for the first time is a problem now that India and China refuse to take our garbage.

It isn’t just China but pretty much every other country on earth.

However, now has come the time that sooner or later this question will be asked: How did the most powerful country the world has ever seen succumb to “former banana republics” and was replaced by China as the most power full economy?