Certainly long before the Louisiana purchase, and other westward expansion. Russia is less of a prison of nations that the US is.
Certainly long before the Louisiana purchase, and other westward expansion. Russia is less of a prison of nations that the US is.
Depends on your definition of great, I suppose. If by great you mean an industrial powerhouse, the home of modern medicine, a place where living standards were super high, then no. All of that was enabled by slavery and exploitation.
It wouldn't have been any greater than any other country outside of the imperial core.