Executive summary: The ancient Roman empire had many preconditions for an industrial revolution but failed to achieve one, likely due to cultural factors and the lack of certain key technologies like the printing press.
Key points:
Rome had access to coal, large-scale manufacturing, and demand for mechanical power, contradicting some theories about missing precursors.
The absence of certain technologies (e.g. cast iron, printing press) may have been a key constraint, though our knowledge of Roman capabilities is limited.
Slavery likely hindered industrialization by promoting a culture that disdained mechanical arts and innovation.
The printing press could have been pivotal in spreading knowledge and changing cultural attitudes toward invention.
Understanding Rome’s missed opportunity for industrialization has implications for identifying and pursuing transformative progress today.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, andcontact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: The ancient Roman empire had many preconditions for an industrial revolution but failed to achieve one, likely due to cultural factors and the lack of certain key technologies like the printing press.
Key points:
Rome had access to coal, large-scale manufacturing, and demand for mechanical power, contradicting some theories about missing precursors.
The absence of certain technologies (e.g. cast iron, printing press) may have been a key constraint, though our knowledge of Roman capabilities is limited.
Slavery likely hindered industrialization by promoting a culture that disdained mechanical arts and innovation.
The printing press could have been pivotal in spreading knowledge and changing cultural attitudes toward invention.
Understanding Rome’s missed opportunity for industrialization has implications for identifying and pursuing transformative progress today.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.