Being Powerful

In a recent post at http://www.tompeters.com/ Tom Peters writes about "The Train that Keeps on Rolling," referring to the history of US economic resilience and its steady and continuous "share of global output" in spite of setbacks. The comments that followed got me to thinking about the intersection of power and the emergence of economic advancement in developing countries. In fact, Tom Peters references this in his post. Below is my comment, largely copied from the site.

Who has more of power and for how long has long been the pertinent question for centuries. In times past, in order to keep such power in tack inbreeding and marriages among people of power in neighboring countries was the practice-- not so today. The rise of the entrepreneur and innovation are far greater than marriages, at least in this regard.

Be reminded that power does not necessarily have to do with the numbers in any country of emergence. Perhaps it has more to do with the many components of influence in various countries (What is the BBC? What is the AP?) and the power of entrepreneurship and innovation. I might also add that there is something to be said for the notion of unity so created in the founding documents of the US.

Where there is goodness, in spite of error, resilience follows. Americans survive/thrive because in spite of our failures, we are a good people whose founding documents propel us to greatness--that which is giving, humble, innovative, accepting, powerful, democratic, entreating, and entrepreneurial.

The American spirit of entrepreneurship seems to fight against complacency. When other societies were feudal and hierarchical this nation sprung to the rights of the individual and the notion of community. (Although the rights of some were then trampled upon.) The US clings to the notion of freedom. Though, like all other nations, there is no perfection. The important thing is to become that "More Perfect Union" which we are forever becoming.

Another thought: do you think that the advent of the Internet (or many such other inventions) could have come in a feudal society or one where democracy was inhibited?

Entrepreneurship is powerful.