Quote Originally Posted by Byzantine Prince
I have to go with population abilities. You can have the worst, most deserted country in the world but with skilled people anything is possible. That is real power. Population size, and even economy size doesn't count for nothing. Germany before WW2 didn't have a bigger economy then the USSR. And earlier then that it wasn't even better. But Germany had very skilled people. Scientists and engineers! The world needs more of them!
I have to agree with BP except I should add that the USSR eventually did defeat Germany, and population size and economy did count for something in that.

I'm torn between the strength of a nations economy and the abilities of it's population. In the end I have to go with a populations abilities because it determines the strength (and type) of economy a nation will have.