Could an Expanded Zollverein Economically Outcompete the US?

Could an Expanded Zollverein Economically outcompete the US?

  • Yes

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • No

    Votes: 12 46.2%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 9 34.6%

  • Total voters
    26
569px-Map-GermanConfederation.svg.png


Based on the pace of rapid industrialization of the German Confederation circa 1860s, coupled with that of the Austrian Empire, in the case where Bismark is willing and able to get the entirety of Austria into the Zollverein economic integration pact , could it economically compete/outcompete the US long term(until 1913)?
 
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If the EU doesn't economically out-compete the US, why should a union half it's size do so? It might outcompete it in some fields (see, Japan 1980s) but as a whole? Unlikely, unless the US is weakened relative to OTL somehow.
 

Deleted member 1487

If the EU doesn't economically out-compete the US, why should a union half it's size do so? It might outcompete it in some fields (see, Japan 1980s) but as a whole? Unlikely, unless the US is weakened relative to OTL somehow.
The modern EU has a larger GDP than the US. Beyond that without the malformation of the European economy due to WW1, WW2, and Communist rule, plus the loss of a bunch of human life, intellectual property, physical property, and brain drain that all happened during the 20th century Europe would be in a very different place economically, as would the US.

Assuming there isn't OTL WWs and the results of that a free trade zone including the areas of the map plus some economic/political reforms would be in a good place to compete with the US, while the US won't get the beneficial buffs of OTL that were the result of the wars and the improved governance related to experience gained in the wars plus refugee brain buffs. Likely the US is worse off for a variety of reasons, while Europe as a whole and central Europe specifically benefit highly due to no WWs or communism.
 
I answered no to the OP, given America's resource, population, and foreign policy advantages, but it's important to remember that Germany was THE centre of science for the first half of the 20th century. In fact, its industrial and scientific capabilities were so strong that they managed to sustain the painfully anti-science and anti-intellectual Nazis during their omnicidal reign.
 
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