Today: more on Robert Gordon’s
book The Rise and Fall of
American Growth.
Horse-drawn streetcars were
an improvement over horse-drawn
carriages, doubling intra-city
travel speeds from three to
six miles per hour (p144).
However, a horse-based transportation
system meant streets were
inevitably filled with unhealthy
manure, and horses would become
too tired to continue after
about 25 miles. You also should feel
some compassion for the horses
pulling their heavy loads.
In 1879, two striking innovations
occurred a mere ten weeks apart:
Edison’s electric light, and
the first internal combustion
engine (p131). Steam engine
combustion chambers are external
to their pistons, and they have
to carry both fuel and water.
Karl Benz successful test
of his original two-stroke engine
occurred on New Year’s Eve, 1879
(p 150). A series of further
inventions were needed to
improve the car-driving experience,
and the prices gradually became
affordable. Early car buyers
would make their decisions about
whether or not to buy a car by
comparing it with the cost of
travelling by horse.
In order for cars to be an effective
means to travel, paved roads
are needed. Roads are examples
of public goods: once they are
provided for one person, other
people can benefit from them (at
least up to the point of
congestion); and it is
inefficient to collect tolls
for every road. That’s why
the government provides you with
raods funded with tax dollars (but
you have to pay for your own cars
and gas). Paved roads increased
car travel speeds by a factor of five
from 1905 to 1929 (p 132).
……………..
–Douglas Downing
You are welcome to write your comments on the facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/DouglasADowningSPU/?ref=profile
This blog is part of the
Seattle Pacific University Political Economy blog group
(click here for index).
Click here for the index of topics for the blog
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/douglasdowning
New items are posted about twice per week.
douglasadowning 