3min chapter

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549. The First Great American Industry

Freakonomics Radio

CHAPTER

The Decline of the American Whaling Industry

The American whaling industry had been a dynamo from pre revolutionary days up through the mid 19th century. But now it began to crumble. Did the new corporate structure of whaling firms hasten the end? Perhaps a bit, but mainly it was done in by the same thing that destroys nearly every industry over time competition.

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