Increasing Wealth

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 12, 1914

Increasing Wealth

THE increasing wealth of the world, not only in the accumulation of vast individual fortunes, but in the national wealth as well, is truly phenomenal. The London Statist gives the following figures with reference to the wealth of the three richest nations of the world; namely, the United States, Great Britain, and France:—

Within one hundred years the wealth of the United States has grown from about $1,750,000,000 to nearly $150,000,000,000, our incomes from $500,000 to $35,000,000,000, and the population from 8,000,000 to about 98,000,000. Any one may work out the extraordinary percentage of increase here indicated.

Like statistics for Great Britain show a growth of wealth from $12,500,000,000, to $85,000,000,000, and of income from $1,500,000,000 to $12,000,000,000. In France the figures show a gain in wealth from $10,000,000,000 to some $65,000,000,000, and of income from $1,250,000,000 to $6,000,000,000.

One hundred years ago Germany’s wealth—Germany then consisted of a lot of little states and principalities—was probably less than that of France, but today it is placed at nearly $80,000,000,000, with an income of $10,000,000,000.

Thus, as a new country, by comparison, the United States has an annual income reported to be greater than that of Great Britain, Germany, and France combined, with an accumulated wealth far in excess of any other land.