The Sun, the Light and Opportunity - Part 1

History, America’s Evolution and global demographics will determine which nations, technologies and corporate cultures capitalize on the vast opportunities that global trade provides.?

President Reagan, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt?

and many other Americans have foreseen America and Democracy as bringing Light to the world.

America has been the breeding ground?for the imagination. Evidence of this is provided by Thomas Edison, formerly of the Edesons of Canada, who unlike Nicola Tesla, another immigrant, utilized perspiration as well as inspiration (the disciplined imagination) and financial logistics to bring light to the world.?

Funded by J.P. Morgan, Edison realized that scaling globally would ensure the success of his ideas. Guided by Morgan who was widely traveled and who studied in Europe, one of Edison’s?first corporate decisions was to send one of his top engineers to Europe where the American light spread like a grassfire, thanks to collaboration and joint ventures.

The Past is Prologue and Legacy

Today, not all nations, governments and banks will play a significant role in the world’s economic development.?

Wikipedia: In 1892 Morgan arranged the merger of?Edison General Electric?and?Thomson-Houston Electric Company?to form?General Electric. He also played important roles in the formation of the?United States Steel Corporation,?International Harvester?and?AT&T. At the height of Morgan's career during the early twentieth century, he and his partners had financial investments in many large corporations and had significant influence over the nation's high finance and?United States Congress members. He directed the banking coalition that stopped the?Panic of 1907. He was the leading financier of the?Progressive Era, and his dedication to efficiency and modernization helped transform American?business. Adrian Wooldridge characterized Morgan as America's "greatest banker".[2]

Morgan died in Rome, Italy, in his sleep in 1913 at the age of 75, leaving his fortune and business to his son,?John Pierpont Morgan Jr.?Biographer?Ron Chernow?estimated his fortune at only $118 million (of which approximately $50 million was attributed to his vast art collection), prompting?John D. Rockefeller?to say: "and to think, he wasn't even a rich man."[3]

My Comment: Today, the demographics of the world provide both opportunities and obstacles - to the imagination, to both perspiration and inspiration; to innovation. The Economist summed all this up with: Despite what many believe, America's economic power is not declining. With 4% of the world's people, it generates 25% of global output, a share unchanged since 1980. No other big country is as prosperous or innovative.

As we noted last week, the size of China's economy is unlikely ever to surpass America's by much. The main source of America's strength is creative destruction and open markets in a rules-based global economy. So although Mr Biden is right to reinforce the social safety-net, his state-led, insular economic vision may ultimately erode living standards and American clout.?

The Biden doctrine seeks to stabilise relations with an autocratic and paranoid China. In this task it is hampered by a second flaw: it muddles legitimate policies with America-first rule-bending. Mr Sullivan wants to combine export controls with cooperative trade, and an arms race with collaboration. But China's leaders think this strategy is meant to keep China down. America's case would be stronger if export controls didn't keep expanding, if Trump-era tariffs were not still in place?

Smoot-Hawley et alia: American stupidity - my insert

and if its politicians were not vying to outhawk each other on China.

China?and Cutting Edge Technologies?

Science/Business (Germany):?During his flight from Berlin to Chongqing earlier this week, German chancellor Olaf Scholz was informed of Iran's attacks against Israel.

Nevertheless, he continued with his plan to visit the Yangtze metropolis after briefly commenting on the situation. The first stop on the chancellor's three-day visit to China was Bosch Hydrogen Powertrain Systems in Chongqing, a joint venture of the automotive supplier, which manufactures hydrogen drives for commercial vehicles.

Chancellor Scholz at a Bosch factory in Chongqing that makes hydrogen drives, hailed as a clean - energy breakthrough.

Initially, there were no details of the visit. However, the Bosch plant was carefully chosen as it?exemplifies the opportunities that German companies still have in the cleantech sector in the People's Republic,?especially if they have cutting-edge technologies. At the same time, it shows the hosts what Germany still has to offer when it comes to future technology. Germany has some 5,000 enterprises in China.

Continued with Part 2: EV Strategies, AI, Logistics, Energy and the Global Consumer

Part 3: American Flight and Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

Disclaimer: I have intercalated images, titles, subtitles, comments and highlights in order to more effectively deliver this story. Attribution is made for the Art, literature, film, lyrics, photography, cartoons, music and footnotes are provided for the ideas of others - whenever possible and appropriate.?Otherwise, the intuitions and disciplined inspirations - are mine.