The historical experience has been that the development of a market economy has tended to prompt demands for a change toward greater political and social democracy. Apart from this we cannot exclude the possibility of stumbling blocks in the path to continued economic growth.
They may accompany the course of industrialization in the form of a widening gap between rich and poor, environmental and energy problems and the possibility of financial insolvencies. Geopolitical risks are also obviously present. Despite these possible caveats, I would like to emphasize the stronger probability that by the mid-21st century they will rank as economic powers on a par with the United States.