Government Versus the Market for Technological Innovation

Source: World of Technology

And this helps illustrate my skepticism with trusting government programs to innovate better solutions to our problems in terms of things like renewable energy and healthcare.

Comments

[Steve Allison]

While your conclusion may be correct, this is not evidence of that. A picture of airplanes from any major airport from 1980 would look pretty much the same as today. I'm confident that a large percentage of whatever Boeing produced then is also still in the air. This has to do with scale. Think about it. Little things can be used for a little while, thrown away and replaced. For big things, that is not the case.

[Michael W. Kruse]

Valid point, Steve. What is operating in the background for me is the knowledge that there are other viable options to the space shuttle for delivering people and materials into space that are likely cheaper and more flexible. Other countries and businesses are already pursuing these options. We have been locked into the same solution for thirty years.

[Steve Allison]

I'm basically in agreement. Its past time to move on.

[Mike Aubrey]

Hi Michael, your other point about the ability of the government to be effective for renewable energy & health care, I'm not sure follows. When I look at, say, the provincial government in British Columbia, I find that they have successfully managed government corporations (e.g. BC Hydro) in a way that has been profitable and in the long run has eased the burden on the tax payer for paying for other social programs (such as health care).