This video shows the top 15 countries with the highest GDP from 1600 to 2022. It gives a brief history of the world economy since the 1600s.
Chinese and Indian empires were ahead until 1900s while the US started leading after the 20th century.
Gross domestic product, or GDP, is the monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced in a specific time period by countries. It is calculated using the formula: GDP = Consumption + Investment + Government Investment + (Exports Imports).
This video uses the historical empires (Mughal Empire, Qing Dynasty, Prussia, Empire of Japan, etc.) which makes it the most accurate.
However, since this comparison goes back so far into the past, the numbers should only be take as an estimate as most historians don't even agree on a specific number.
Source:
The Angus Maddison Project & World Bank & IMF & United Nations
Music: Curse of the scarab Kevin Macleod