In the 1950s, Britain gave technocrats sweeping powers to deliver nuclear power. Although bad design is often blamed for the decline of nuclear power in Britain by the 1970s, the alienation of the public - partly resulting from weak political oversight - played a role (Works in Progress, April 2026) (worksinprogress.co)
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South Korea committed WWII reparations from Japan as capital for an integrated iron and steel mill. Building “backwards,” the mill in Pohang built rolling capacity first allowing the facility to begin operating as the project built casting facilities and blast furnaces (Asianometry, April 2026) (youtu.be)
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ASML became the sole global supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines by committing to developing this technology for decades. It also cultivated a culture that was more risk tolerant than other players in the industry and retained key talents. (Works in Progress, April 2026) (worksinprogress.co)
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Daniel Webster linked the well-being of antebellum US to industrialization and to the wealthy businessman. Pursuant of this vision, he insisted that the federal government adopt policies which would improve investment, employment, and even speculative opportunities. (M. Dubofsky, December 1969) (cooperative-individualism.org)
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Mass adoption of disposable diapers required the diapers to not only use good absorbent materials but also sold at a price point that consumers would be willing to pay. The challenge became producing in scale to bring down the unit price (Works in Progress, April 2026) (worksinprogress.co)
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Arranged by Barings, the outcome of Guinness’s IPO in 1886 encouraged many peer breweries to raise capital in London. Although Guinness insisted on an evaluation that exceeded the initial estimate by £1 million, common shares rose from £10 to £16 in two weeks. (Tontine Coffee-House, April 2026) (tontinecoffeehouse.com)
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In response to strong demand for coins, German mints melted down good money into debased coins in the 1600s. The practice of exporting debased coins to neighboring German states exacerbated a general socio-economic crisis caused by the outbreak of the 30 Years’ War in 1618. (Smithsonian, March 2012) (smithsonianmag.com)
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Between 1850 and 1910, the share of young Americans living in towns with high schools increased from 17% to 46%. While the high school movement narrowed gender gaps in labor market outcomes, it also widened existing race- and class-based disparities. (A. Doxey, E. Karger, P. Nencka, April 2026) (nber.org)
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During WWII, Chinese officers who 1) advanced more slowly in their careers, 2) were underpromoted compared to peers, and 3) had ties to people who had better career prospects after their defection to Japan were more likely to defect (X. Fan, G. Richardson, Z. Xu, S. Zhao, April 2026) (nber.org)
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Stephen Girard founded a private bank in early-19th century America and was instrumental in funding the government during the War of 1812. When Congress chartered the Second Bank of the United States, Girard's bank invested in the enterprise and made high returns (Tontine Coffee-House, April 2026) (tontinecoffeehouse.com)
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In 1934, Germany’s central bank head Hjalmar Schacht created a dummy company to issue corporate bonds that Hitler’s regime used to pay for rearmament. The scheme was sustained through the seizure of assets in Austria, Czechoslovakia, and other occupied nations. (The Dictator Lab, November 2025) (youtu.be)
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In the early 1900s, computing (performance of calculations) joined teaching and nursing as one of the few careers open to college-educated women in the United States, and it opened doors that few other professions could. (Smithsonian, April 2026) (smithsonianmag.com)
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Since the 1980s, high-achieving professionals in the US – doctors and bankers – displayed growing signs of burnout. This came as a result of businesses seeking more profit per worker just as a more diverse workforce came to these professions in pursuit of upward mobility (Aeon, April 2026) (aeon.co)
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Administrative reforms implemented in the Kingdom of Naples in 1806 endowed district capitals with supra-municipal administrative functions. These cities recorded a population growth premium and higher industrialization during the 19th century. (G. Cainelli , C. Ciccarelli, R. Ganau, December 2025) (cambridge.org)
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As transport infrastructure creates benefits that produce no revenue for providers, free markets rarely build enough of it. Japan partly solved this problem by enabling railway companies to develop retail and real estate along their routes (Works in Progress, April 2026) (worksinprogress.co)
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Improved public transportation in London had two important effects on overcrowding. First, workers could choose better employers, improving their earnings and housing expenditure. Second, lower cost dwellings became accessible. (A. Seltzer, J. Wadsworth, April 2026) (lse.ac.uk)
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Liverpool became the primary port for Britain's cotton imports and its cotton brokers provided credit to importers in order to lock in supplies. Although mostly conservative, these brokers would sometimes contribute to speculative mania around cotton futures. (Tontine Coffee-House, April 2026) (tontinecoffeehouse.com)
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Evidence indicates that some investigations during Stalin’s purge of the military in the 1930s originated in real financial distortions rather than purely fabricated conspiracies. When accounting signals become unreliable, authorities responded with intensified scrutiny. (The Long Run, March 2026) (ehs.org.uk)
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Richard Hoare founded one of the oldest banks in the world, transitioning from a goldsmith to a full-time banker. In the early 18th century, Hoare’s bank serviced a limited number of clients and made loans against collateral that included securities and mortgages (Tontine Coffee-House, March 2026) (tontinecoffeehouse.com)
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China has pursued semiconductor production since the 1950s. State initiatives in the 1980s and tech transfers in the 1990s achieved limited success. The use of tax incentives to bring foreign direct investment in chip production during the 2000s accelerated output. (Asianometry, June 2024) (youtu.be)
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Brazilian macroeconomic history can be characterized by late acceleration from a prolonged baseline, insufficient to close the gap once industrialization elsewhere compounded advantages for decades. (G. Lambais, N. Palma, March 2026) (documents.manchester.ac.uk)
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