you have a choice...

[Mr. Dictator]

and i purposely made the choices to the extremes.

Poll Coming...

 

[Narz]

All nations moderately well off. No contest.

 

[Nylan]

I'd rather not screw over the other billions of people in the world

 

[Tee Kay]

Prosperity all round, please. Not just my own nation.

 

[LuckyAC]

You are asking if we judge well-being relatively? If I get what you are saying, if all the other countries have GDP per capitas of 5000, having a GDP of 10000 would be most well off by far, so we'd feel lucky. On the other hand, if all countries, including us, have 20000, we'd be better off in an absolute sense, but we wouldn't feel special (something like America now vs. in 1950, we are much better off in real wealth, but much less dominant compared to other wealthy countries).

Given the choice, knowing both options, I'd choose the 20k for sure, no need to be the best, I just want to be rich.

However, chances are, admittedly, if I were born into either situation, I'd feel happier in the first Not because I need to feel superior to other people, but because I wouldn't be able to conceive of anything better, so it would seem like I was living in the best world possible.

A lot of psychological studies have shown, first, happiness to be fairly unrelated to wealth, but for the amount it did matter, much more determined by relative measures rather than absolute ones.

 

[Stylesrj]

If I'm the powerhouse of a nation, I can always send aid packages to those 3rd world countries and keep 'em in check once in a while. I don't want to be invaded by some nation equal to me. Much like my cIV and SMAC policies (except in SMAC, I start the wars most of the time)

 

[Eukaryote]

I'd rather not screw over the other billions of people in the world

Ditto. I like Nylan here, am not a b*tch.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

To who would my rich country sell to? My economy would be doomed. Moderately well off was my answer.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I would not just stop at "my nation", but me individually! I can be rich and everyone else can suffer!

Seriously, though, it would be best if everyone has more or less what they need. Or are you spreading commie propaganda?

 

[soul_warrior]

if we all have something, we all gain.
commerce needs partners, so i will vote equal cash all around

 

[Mureke]

I would have everyone be "3rd worldish". That is, having minimal technology and living according to the rules of nature. Everyone would be extremely well-off.

 

[Azale]

I feel like this is a subtle "socialism vs capitalism" poll...oh well, I choose option number 2.

Why the no comment option?

 

[Azash]

Reigning supreme in a poor world isn't going to last.

 

[Fifty]

The first option is the closest appoximation to my view, although I'd prefer if other nations were worse than 3rd world, maybe 5th or 6th world.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

I feel like this is a subtle "socialism vs capitalism" poll...oh well, I choose option number 2.

Why the no comment option?

i actually didnt think of the whole communist thing, i was asking people if they'd rather be well off even if it completely screws everyone else basically.

and i had to make sure this wasnt a closed question

 

[nc-1701]

I would choose whichever option gave me the best position in life. However irl it's not that simple as increasing others wealth generally helps increase yours.

 

[warpus]

You are asking if we judge well-being relatively? If I get what you are saying, if all the other countries have GDP per capitas of 5000, having a GDP of 10000 would be most well off by far, so we'd feel lucky. On the other hand, if all countries, including us, have 20000, we'd be better off in an absolute sense, but we wouldn't feel special (something like America now vs. in 1950, we are much better off in real wealth, but much less dominant compared to other wealthy countries).

Wealth is of course relative.

The $10,000 from your first example could buy you far more than the $20,000 from your second example.

You need somebody to be poor if you want to be rich

 

[Swedishguy]

Sweden isn't going to survive without other, stronger, countries.

 

[Yoda Power]

How long do you seriously think it would take before the single strong nations were wiped out all the others? Besides poverty spreads, so if it didn't end in war, then my nation would ultimatly be poor too.

 

[Technocactus]

My nation as wealthiest. Selfish I know, but I don't care. I'm assuming that makes the nation richer than it would be as "moderately well-off" in the other world.