[lbo-talk] picking winners

Gar Lipow gar.lipow at gmail.com
Tue May 15 09:31:09 PDT 2012


On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 7:16 AM, Andy <andy274 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Recalling thoughts about technological innovation and industrial
> policy, I was trying to think of examples where gummint support did
> *not* provide a boost.  Ford with his assembly lines and cheap cars
> came to mind.  Maybe early (pre-WW1) development of electrical
> technology?

Pre-WW1 electrical generation required a lot of municipal investment in transmission l - at least in right of ways granted at below market value (sometimes even free) . I think some pre-WWI generation was muncipal as well though this is from memory.

In terms of assembly lines - gun manufacture during civil war. Ford extended government developed technology to auto making - did not invent. Also where would autos have been without urban and rural roads that had been developed for horses? IMO VERY few exceptions to role of state in development, and none where infrastructure required.


>
> Slashdot came up with an interesting example of strategic industrial
> policy from the fifties:
>
> http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/05/15/0234237/an-8000-ton-giant-made-the-jet-age-possible
>
>
>
> --
> Andy
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk

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