On a ranking system yes.

On a system that measures quality of life factors: no.

My nation increasing it's inhabitants length of life, reducing disease, reducing infant mortality, increasing literacy, increasing freedoms and choice makes my nation more powerful. And doing the same for another nation only increases my nations security and power.

Zero sum would not have allowed us to go beyond the groups of Chimps. Game theory neatly explains a lot of this particularly the need to factor in future interactions.

Zero sum can only exist in a static environment.