Ep 2. How do some societies get rich, successful and creative, and others don’t? Ft. Joel Mokyr

#TheGreatTechGamePodcast #AnirudhSuri #JoelMokyrThe Great Tech Game podcast, with Anirudh Suri, brings you smart, insightful, big picture conversations on geopolitics, technology, business, and history with the world’s top thinkers and leaders. In this two-part episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Joel Mokyr to dig deep into why some societies get rich, creative and successful while others don't. Mokyr and Suri delve into history to answer this big question, explore the great games in history, including why the Roman Empire and the Chinese hit a ceiling in their growth.Arguing that knowledge and technology augment other factors of production such as land, labour and capital, Mokyr outlines why technology and useful knowledge can be expected to drive growth for long periods to come. They discuss the importance of understanding the science behind things, and how important R&D and fundamental research is in the evolution of an economy. The conversation also explores what makes a society creative and successful, and why China will lose the tech race to the US according to Mokyr. #Anirudh Suri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com Book Links:Anirudh Suri:The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri : https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38MyJoel Mokyr:The British Industrial Revolution: An Economic Perspective: https://amzn.eu/d/2Dd92KLThe Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress: https://amzn.eu/d/em6Vmd5The Gifts of Athena: Historical Origins of the Knowledge Economy: https://amzn.eu/d/7O862NlEnlightened Economy: https://amzn.eu/d/7qh8bf8Why Ireland Starved: A Quantitative and Analytical History of the Irish Economy: https://amzn.eu/d/7JU9VwNThe Enlightened Economy – An Economic History of Britian 1700–1850: https://amzn.eu/d/3PcZxmiTo learn more about Joel Mokyr and his work:Website: https://economics.northwestern.edu/people/directory/joel-mokyr.htmlChapters00:00 - 1:12 - Intro about Joel Mokyr1:13 - 08:19 - Why some societies get rich, others don’t?08:20 - 10:19 - Pre-Smithian Formula for Growth and Post-Smithian Formula10:20 - 12:02 - The Great Secret: How have Societies Transitioned from Emerging to Rich economies?12:42 - 16:46 - The Great Agri and Trade Game: The Case of the Roman Empire, China and the Mongols 16:47 - 20:08 - Why We Didn’t See an Industrial Revolution in China and Rome? 20:09 - 27:25 - How Knowledge and Technology Augments other Factors of Production23:10 - 27:56 - The Case of Nitrates and Phosphates and Agri Productivity, and why Nations were poor27:57 - 30:50 - The Case of Steel: The Importance of Understanding the Science behind Technology 30:32 - 35:11 - Advancements in Science and Technology: Will They Slow Down Anytime Soon? 33:51 - 35:40 - How AI and Genetic Technology can help develop Alternatives to Steel and Nitrates35:41 - 39:17 - The Importance of R&D and Fundamental Research, and How can Nations Cultivate an Innovation Culture?39:51 - 43:23 - What makes a society creative and successful, and why China will lose the tech race to the US?