Before 1950s Argentina was one of the top global nations, ahead of USA in terms of GDP per capita by far.
Source? I've always heard that during their good times before socialism that they were getting up to the range of European countries, but never ahead of the US. Wikipedia (yes, I know the warnings) cites that "[Argentine] GDP per capita rose from 35% of the United States average in 1880 to about 80% in 1905, similar to that of France, Germany and Canada." But "By 1950, Argentina's GDP per capita accounted just nearly half of the United States."
And Detroit was the Paris of North America.
Heckuva job, socialists/democrats!