Well, Japan is leading the future of technology, and merrily churning out other important things, and Germany is the only European Country that can compete in terms of economics to Asia (Don't say anything about the Celtic Tiger).
America is drowning in Debt and falling across the charts, Britain has no great Industry left, The Soviet Union fell, and Russia has returned to a semi-1st World Country, And France is simply wallowing in old wealth instead of actually gaing anything economically.