Today on Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja examine "failed" industrial revolutions throughout history, particularly Rome's sophisticated water-powered manufacturing, standardized production, and steam engine prototypes. The discussion explores how civilizations like Rome and Song Dynasty China achieved industrial-scale commerce and technology before ultimately plateauing or collapsing due to demographic, military, or economic constraints.
Make sure to subscribe to Samo Burja's Bismarck Brief and the Live Players podcast to read analyses and briefs like this one:
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DISCUSSION:
Roman Industrial Capabilities:
- Extensive use of water power for mills, ironworks, marble cutting, and mining
- Mass production of pottery (53 million amphora estimated from one Roman hill)
- Standardized parts for statues, military equipment, and containers
- Advanced metallurgy producing air pollution detectable in Greenland ice cores
Technological Sophistication:
- Hero of Alexandria created functional steam engines as early experiments
- Romans used coal for heating and had portable fire pumps
- Nanotechnology in glassware (Lycurgus Cup with gold/silver particles)
- Complex mechanical devices and automated systems
Economic Scale:
- Billion+ amphora production across the empire
- Sophisticated consumer economy with middle class purchasing power
- Standardized commerce and shipping networks across Mediterranean
- Industrial-scale mining that reshaped entire landscapes
Why They "Failed":
- Population decline removed growth incentive
- Military pressures from external forces
- Reached saturation point where demand was met
- Industrial revolutions follow S-curves that plateau without continued expansion
Broader Pattern:
- Song Dynasty China faced similar trajectory before nomadic conquests
- Large-scale commerce and state demand were prerequisites
- Water transportation networks enabled industrial development
- All required demographic/geographic growth to sustain technological advancement
