However, countries do have to maintain military superiority, so countries with less scientific concerns could easily rise to prominence if we don't have at least a sizeable budget.
Such as Germany, who became the economic power house of Europe without any military spending.
A reduction in military spending helped Russia to build its economy, but the greatest help that Russia has had in this has been US sanctions.
China didn't have much military spending whilst it built its trading dominance.
Japan was banned from having a significant military force after the last war, and their economy strengthened as a result.
The Anglophone empire is probably the richest state in the world at the moment, and they have achieved this by using the Military forces of America, The UK, France and others.
Fighting and military extravagance weakens a country, unless it can combine it with occupation and exploitation.
