There is no standard for developing an economy, you've just taken two similar instances in history and correlated them.

Or did Japan, Germany, et al. develop their economy through industrial espionage and I just haven't learned about it yet?

It's funny that you mention the Japanese.

I don't know if you were around in the 80's but, if you were and have some memory, this song that we are listening now, should be familiar to you.

And it seems to me that, yes, there is a standard for developing a country's economy: you build and industrial base. For that you need importing technology and knowledge. For that you need foreign currency. So, you sell the job of your people. By the way, what you don't do, if you are clever, is follow the IMF advice.