The U.S. has more than 1.3 million lawyers. In the U.S. – thanks to endless environmental reviews and lawsuits – it takes seven years and $1 billion to build a mile of subway track. China is churning out 1.3 million engineers every year. In China, they lay down 2,000 miles of high-speed rail in the time it takes America to debate one bridge.
The U.S. – thanks to complex procurement processes delaying projects like fighter jets by years – spends $850 billion annually on defense. China spends $250 billion on defense because China rapidly deploys advanced drones and naval ships, commissioning entire fleets in the time it takes the U.S. to approve a single aircraft carrier upgrade.
The United States produces approximately 4,000 TWh of electricity annually. However, due to regulatory challenges and lengthy approval processes, constructing a nuclear power plant in the U.S. typically takes about a decade. In contrast, China generates around 8,500 TWh of electricity each year and can build ten new nuclear reactors and thousands of solar farms in the time it takes the U.S. to approve a single renewable energy project.
The U.S. allocates $100 billion annually to healthcare infrastructure. In the U.S. – thanks to zoning disputes and regulatory approvals – a new hospital takes more than five years to build. China allocates $50 billion annually to healthcare infrastructure. China can build 100 modern hospitals, complete with cutting-edge technology, in the time it takes the U.S. to break ground on one medical center.
The U.S. employs over 600,000 civil engineers. In the U.S. – thanks to legally mandated studies – a new highway can take up to 15 years. China graduates 1.5 million STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students annually. China constructs 5,000 miles of new expressways in the time it takes the U.S. to finalize permits for a single interstate expansion.
In the U.S. per capita rate (cases per 1,000 people) is 85. In China the same is 20. The U.S. produces lawyers – and with all those lawyers come a tangle of litigation and delays that stall progress. Meanwhile, China produces engineers – and all those engineers are fueling an infrastructure boom that is transforming cities and connecting nations.
America debates, China builds. Yes, a nation’s priorities shape its future, with lawyers breeding lawsuits and engineers constructing the foundations of growth.
In Pakistan, 167 political parties are registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Nigeria has 18, Brazil 29, the U.S. 55, and Indonesia 18. Imagine this: 280,000 Pakistanis contest elections for national, provincial, and local bodies. Now imagine this: 1 in every 863 citizens is a politician. With 280,000 politicians vying for power, the result is often chaos and instability.
Lo and behold, Pakistan’s 241 million citizens are constantly surrounded by a zero-sum political circus that permeates every aspect of Pakistani life—from family gatherings and workplace discussions to public events. This relentless focus on power struggles overshadows meaningful progress, leaving the masses with little to gain from the chaos.
Remember, a nation’s output shapes its destiny: America’s lawyers breed litigation, stalling progress; China’s engineers build empires, transforming landscapes. Yes, a country’s priorities determine whether it stagnates in courtrooms or surges with infrastructure. Yes, human capital – lawyers, engineers or politicians – shapes outcomes.
—The writer is a journalist and political analyst.
