Good post. It didn't start with Ford, though--what was called the American System of Manufacturing emerged in the early 1800s and encompassed specialized machine tools, jigs/fixtures, gauges for tolerances, division of labor among semi-skilled workers, and assembly of standardized parts with minimal hand-fitting. An example was Eli Terry's manufacturing of clocks in volume---A clock that cost a skilled household a month or more of wages in the 1790s became a few days’ pay by the 1810s and roughly a day’s wages by the 1840s. That is why ownership jumped from a rarity (roughly one family in ten around 1793) to a common household object that peddlers sold door-to-door across the country and later exported by the hundreds of thousands.
Ford couldn't have done what he did without Rockefeller, Carnegie, Edison and Firestone. They are intrinsically linked. They also operated at a time when government had a lot less ability and inclination to throttle what they were doing.
I spent the earlier part of my career as an Industrial Engineer in the manufacturing sector - largely auto industry related. Industrial Engineers were derided as "efficiency experts", but the ever increasing efficiency of the manufacturing sector is largely responsible for the standard of living we now enjoy
The key issue driving the success of the American System of Manufacturing was tightening dimensional and material specifications to make interchangeable parts. Part interchangeability increased production volume and enabled efficient field part replacement.
On a broader scale there's a whole field of study on what has determined economic growth. One of my favorite books on this subject is Lipsey, Carlaw ans Bekar's (Canadians!) Economic Transformations. They identify a series of what they term general purpose technologies (e.g. printing press, steam engine, electricity) whose application throughout the economy provide quantum boosts.
Energy money, the energy dollar tied to a fixed measure is our way out of many difficulties. The $ is already 9 parts electricity (93%). It merely requires first recognition our money is 93% electricity. Henry Ford had much the same idea, Edison was also interested in his idea.
Good post. It didn't start with Ford, though--what was called the American System of Manufacturing emerged in the early 1800s and encompassed specialized machine tools, jigs/fixtures, gauges for tolerances, division of labor among semi-skilled workers, and assembly of standardized parts with minimal hand-fitting. An example was Eli Terry's manufacturing of clocks in volume---A clock that cost a skilled household a month or more of wages in the 1790s became a few days’ pay by the 1810s and roughly a day’s wages by the 1840s. That is why ownership jumped from a rarity (roughly one family in ten around 1793) to a common household object that peddlers sold door-to-door across the country and later exported by the hundreds of thousands.
Note that Ford wasn't possible until Carnegie transformed steel from a scarce semi-precious metal into an abundant cheap commodity.
And also "petroleum distillate" fuels.
Got an upcoming "The Rise and Fall of American Growth" inspired pod coming up. I think you'll enjoy.
Ford couldn't have done what he did without Rockefeller, Carnegie, Edison and Firestone. They are intrinsically linked. They also operated at a time when government had a lot less ability and inclination to throttle what they were doing.
I spent the earlier part of my career as an Industrial Engineer in the manufacturing sector - largely auto industry related. Industrial Engineers were derided as "efficiency experts", but the ever increasing efficiency of the manufacturing sector is largely responsible for the standard of living we now enjoy
The key issue driving the success of the American System of Manufacturing was tightening dimensional and material specifications to make interchangeable parts. Part interchangeability increased production volume and enabled efficient field part replacement.
On a broader scale there's a whole field of study on what has determined economic growth. One of my favorite books on this subject is Lipsey, Carlaw ans Bekar's (Canadians!) Economic Transformations. They identify a series of what they term general purpose technologies (e.g. printing press, steam engine, electricity) whose application throughout the economy provide quantum boosts.
I’ll be reading that next!
Energy money, the energy dollar tied to a fixed measure is our way out of many difficulties. The $ is already 9 parts electricity (93%). It merely requires first recognition our money is 93% electricity. Henry Ford had much the same idea, Edison was also interested in his idea.
https://www.energybackedmoney.com/chapter5.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Library of Congress, 1921.
New Yorker 12/4/1921
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1921-12-04/ed-1/?sp=1