You need to measure them by their starting point. The craddle of their nation was the most remote corner of Europe with harsh cold climate which was overrun, looted and burned every few generations by the hordes of savage nomads from Huns and earlier to Genghis Khan. Their technology was primitive, tribal, they did not have much of civilization. Still they had the spark of genius to lift them up.
In these conditions they managed to survive, to build up while paying the tribute to the Mongols converting to Islam.
They defeated their overlords, colonized and turned to agricultural use vast lands in the north and managed to turn the endless lands of the central Eurasia from the center of chaos (heart of darkness) into some form of legal order.
They developed beautiful form of Christianity, imported and eagerly learned Western science and civilization (under Peter the Great and after). Then paid back West with the immortal works of art and literature.
Yes they are poorer than people in Western Europe, but they were even poorer in proportion when they started. Still the money is not everything.
They covered in 1000 years what took the Europe more than 2000 years (American did not start from zero either as they continued Western European traditions)
Who would do better in their place?
This whole idea of "my ethnic identity is better than yours", really makes me sick.
People need to knock it off on this site. I am serious... they need to KNOCK IT OFF!!
THIS IS AMERICA!!