How did America achieve superpower status before the advent of federal Social Security and welfare?

[yes we can]

how was that even a remote possibility before social safety net programs were established that rocketed us towards productivity and fierce innovation that led talented entrepreneurs to assume risk and work hard to achieve goals?
We became a larger economy than Britain in the 1840s, and by WW1 we were clearly ahead of everyone else.

[Mark F]

We defeated Spain in 1898 and were the only major nation left relatively intact and not broke in 1919.

[Victor]

Glass–Steagall Act

[Masterplastic645]

I thought historically... we weren't a superpower until after WWII... or as you could call it... after the advent of SS and welfare?

we were a powerful nation, but I don't think we reached "superpower status" before that?

I think Brittan was the clear superpower before that... the brittish empire stretched around the world, even after we beat them back in the U.S...

[?]

The superpower status came after the war starting in 1945. The war machine had geared up to help in Europe and has just become gargantuan since then. Have you forgotten that the period under Hoover in the 20s led to the 1929 stock market crash and the Depression? It was similar to that in 2008 except we had become richer and have credit. Otherwise you would see people selling applies on street corners again.

[Jackie]

Seems to me that Social Security was an FDR idea along with the WPA etc to bail us out of the Depression long before we were a "Super Power"; therefore your whole theory is wrong! You're entitled to your own ideas, but not your own facts. A common mis conception held by many. Bet you watch Fox.

[ITALIAN SNOWBALL!]

How did Britain become a superpower by enslaving whole slabs of the earth and forcing Children to work in coal mines and Mills?

[majordundee]

Absolutely! And wait'll the democrats change us into a full-fleged European welfare state -- we'll be as productive and secure as the EU!

Happy days are here again, da da dah dah da da da da da...