Wealth imbalance is a big difference between the US and other industrialized countries. This mostly skews priorities in favor of the wealthy. This shows up in tax policies and regulation of industry (or lack thereof).

The other big difference has to do with militarism. The US spends as much as the rest of the world combined. This puts a drain on US productivity since there is no multiplier effect from building military hardware or paying people to march around and shoot others.

My question: is the rest of the industrialized world getting a free ride because the US is providing the military services that are required to maintain the dominance of the west? Even when the US botches things like in Iraq doesn't this still set the tone for other areas and make resource providers more willing to sell at terms favorable to the buyers?

What would the world look like if the US spent as much per capita as the EU on militarism?

Policies not Politics
---- Daily Landscape