The industrialization of USA comes after the civil war, thus long after e.g. Charles Dickens, to say nothing of Hamilton.

Hamilton set the strategic agenda. Do you want to argue that US industrialization didn't follow the broad strokes of this plan?

Parallel: the industrialization of China for the most part happened after Deng Xiaoping, but are people wrong to credit him for setting the course?

	▲	andelink 20 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		I mean, Deng Xiaoping is/was a huge influence in _our_ lifetimes. It was only the 1970s, just fifty years ago, when he was effectively the head of state. That’s like yesterday. I’m not saying Hamilton doesn’t have the influence you’re describing, but it’s not really an equal comparison given the huge difference in timeframes. Late 1700s is a ways away vs the 70s.