Sebbene ampiamente prevista, ha suscitato ampio scalpore la notizia che la Cina, nel 2010, ha superato in prodotto interno lordo il Giappone ed è divenuta la seconda economia mondiale. In termini nominally, in fact, China's GDP, amounting to 5.878 billion dollars, has exceeded U.S. $ 5.474 billion of Japan's GDP, while still well away from the 14.87 trillion U.S. dollars, therefore, still produce almost a quarter of the wealth world.
It can, however, easily be argued that this particular survey does not take into account important factors that go beyond pure economics. It would seem, therefore, more consistent assessment than the nominal wealth of a country, the possibility of every citizen to enjoy such wealth, whereas, therefore, the per capita income. In this case, China with $ 7,518 per capita, 92mo ranks in the world, then at levels similar to countries such as Bosnia, El Salvador, Albania and far, not only by the more than 80 thousand U.S. dollars per capita of Qatar and Luxembourg, or 57 thousand U.S. dollars per capita of Singapore (third country in the world) but also by 47 thousand U.S. dollars per capita in the United States (sixth), from 34 thousand U.S. dollars per capita in Japan (twenty-fourth), Italy from 29 thousand (twenty-seventh). 
But another unique aspect to be considered: GDP is defined as the value of goods and services produced in a given country. It thus includes activities and there is growing thanks to their positive nature (pollution, social costs, environmental damage, criminal activity, or even television shows that emphasize violence), excluding a number of economic "free" (such as those within the family or related to volunteering) and not taking into account any quality of life, consideration for the environment, respect for human rights, satisfaction with their lives, the very sustainability of growth. In essence, rather than passionate considerations which reduce these themes to banal sports tournaments for which you are compiling lists unlikely, it seems far more appropriate to develop sensitivity and attention (and if you want to, compile lists and charts) that considerino innanzitutto la sostenibilità dello sviluppo, la qualità della vita, perfino la felicità delle persone. Insomma, considerare innanzitutto tutto ciò che rende la vita degna di esser vissuta.
