"Look at the number of smart Teochews there are...just count them. Teo Chee Hean, Lim Hng Kiang, George Yeo, Lim Boon Heng. Is it a coincidence? In a Cabinet of 15, how do you explain that? For that matter, the Hakkas consider themselves very special too. They are tough, resourceful, they were latecomers who got squeezed to the mountainous areas of the south when they came from the north. They were the only Chinese group that did not bind their women's feet, because they lived on hilly terrain, had to make a living and couldn't afford to have women with feet bound. You also have more Hakkas in the Cabinet than are represented in the population. They are supposed to be hard-working, tougher and therefore higher-achievers. So there are these differences even within the races.
(In my opinion the most Successful Chinese are the Mandarin speakers, Hakka, Cantonese. Success is not only the number of smart people. It includes cultural recognition, international fame, official status. Hoklo, Teochew, Wu people lack many things in many ways.
What makes people superior includes
1. Significant figures in world history
2. Positive impact to the world
3. Cultural and linguistic impact to the world
I'll talk about the good points and bad points of all Chinese sub-groups.
Mandarin speakers ( of northern China/ Central China today) were the creaters of Ancient Han Chinese civilization and empires. Ancient Chinese history were mostly shaped by northern/Central Chinese. And have an large cultural influence in the world, including linguistic influence. However it's impact to the modern world is considered very NEGATIVE by non-Chinese. Mainly because of China today is an communist nation, which are an threat to the moral and society of humanity. China is today one of the world most hated nation, because of it's endless fake products, Fake food, low autonomy, no human rights, no freedom of speech. The cultural revolution which 70 million Chinese died under Mao zedong rule. and the beijing massacre in 1989 and the millions of innocent are known throughout the world, giving China and Chinese an horribly negative impact to the world.
Hakka played most of the major roles in shaping modern Chinese history. Including many other countries in southeast asia where many Hakka have also ccontributed significantly. However Unlike Mandarin and Cantonese who both have international recognition, the Hakka's people cultural and linguistic impact is not known in the world and it's impact is almost non-existant. Aswell as their identity, the word Hakka is almost non-existent in the Non-Chinese speaking society. Hakka has no official status anywhere and have an lack of identity impact to the world Hakka does not have it's own entertainment media, movies, songs, dramas like Mandarin and Cantonese have. When people speak of Chinese, they either have heard of Mandarin or Cantonese.
Cantonese today have many international world famous people although most of them are overseas Chinese, including an significant cultural and linguistic recognition in the world. Although Cantonese is second to Mandarin in terms of being world known, it has international recon-ignition in the world. But this this is due to the fact Hong Kong and Macau that are both Cantonese speaking society. And because of them Cantonese movies and cuisines which can be found throughout the world. Cantonese have official status in Hong Kong and Macau, both which are culturally and linguistically Cantonese. It also has it's own education school, government, written Cantonese, songs movies, dramas, animation dubbed in Cantonese. Within China it is the only 2 area that people live with autonomy, freedom of speech, human rights. They are also 2 of the richest and highest GDP city in China, both are also ranked a global city. Cantonese in a way also played some roles in shaping modern history of China, in terms of geographic location. Almost all the Chinese leaders that shaped modern China was born in Guangdong province, and it was also the funding and uprising of Xinhui revolution that started in Guangzhou. However most of these Chinese figures were not Cantonese, but were Hakka including other Chinese ( Although it's also believed Sun yat sen have Cantonese ancestry, and spoke with an river delta Cantonese accent, his family also considered themselves Cantonese). HOWEVER, it's cultural and linguistic impact is not only weaker than mandarin, but it's considered less important aswell, despite the fact Cantonese may have an more positive impact on Chinese people to the world due to Hong Kong, it's generally not strong enough compared with mandarin.
OTHER CHINESE SUB-GROUPS like Teochew, Hoklo, Wu. They may have significant impact in southeast asian history, and may have some impact in modern China. But like most Chinese they lack the official status and cultural impact. Hoklo lost to mandarin in Singapore and Taiwan. And many rich Chinese are teochew but the same thing again. Lack of identity, cultural, linguistic impact. Teochew is non-existant in the world, apart from Chinese migrants, or places where they were considered top society.
In the Wu speaking area, Hangzhou was historically considered the most noble city in the entire world by marco polo. And Shanghai is today an very rich area of China. However, not only are they completely overshadowed by Mandarin, it's an area without autonomy or freedom. And it's cultural and linguistic influence is non-existent outside of China. They also many famous people, but not as great when compared to other Chinese.