Its not as simple as money in, progress out. Nations have unlimited money because they can print as much as they want, inflation aside. If their workforce can't do something, no amount of money will make it happen. Further there are forms of government in place that will limit the ability of the world to achieve goals. This is because many governments around the world will likely just take whatever excess profits arise out of any extra effort and people will have no profit motive to change the status quo. Most research IS motivated by military applications so defunding that would probably kill a lot of progress in space travel, health care, etc.