OF MONOPOLY MEN

The General Purpose Technologies stemming from the Industrial Revolution (Paradigm 5) could be easily monopolized; and indeed, they were – whether by way of an oil baron, a telecom giant, a Central Banker, big auto or big steal.  Control over GPT’s meant control over the common man.  

We cannot so clearly see who will be the owners of industry in Paradigm 6, especially in an uber competitive global market where products and ideas come from everywhere.  Indeed, no one man can own the Sun, or all the cars, or the internet or control a cryptocurrency.  

Soon, the common man may perhaps become the prime owner of each powerful General Purpose Technology – whether that be Energy, Transportation, Communication, Money, Information Storage or Materials.

Each Paradigm 5 technology gained efficiency when centralized; thus, bigger was better.  You made more money by controlling more Oil, Cars, Communication, Money, Information & Materials.  

The exact opposite holds true for Paradigm 6.  The technologies do not offer the same economies of scale, rather they are governed by diseconomies of scale; thus, small will beat large – a small car company, a small power producer, etc etc.  Thus, the common man may perhaps earn vast sums of revenue from leasing out autonomous transportation, or Solar Energy, or the internet, or cryptocurrency, etc.