Rethinking Economic Growth: From Production Efficiency to Market Darwinism

For a long time, the global understanding of economic growth and recession has been superficially equated with changes in GDP: GDP growth means prosperity, while stagnation or decline indicates economic downturn. However, this view overlooks the true driving forces behind economic performance. This paper proposes that the real determinant of a nation's economic rise or fall is not the mere fluctuation of GDP figures, but the continuous improvement of overall national production efficiency, combined with the market's ability to self-select based on efficiency. Through an analysis of the current situations in China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Europe, this paper reexamines the fundamental logic of economic growth.