From Pirates to Black Helicopters: A History of Technology's Wealth

Author: Spa
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-01-01
Features: From Pirates to Black Helicopters is essentially a book about the cutting edge of technology. It begins with the explorations of the Portuguese in the 15th century, telling the story of the development of the telegraph and radio in the mid-19th century, as well as the story of satellite television and the internet in the 20th century. In short, the book intends to tell these stories because they are fascinating and little known outside the academic circle. Its deeper purpose is to connect the development of current technology with its true ancestors through these stories. It will illustrate how Rupert Murdoch and Bill Gates, in many ways, inherited the practices of Prince Henry and Samuel Morse, and what they might still be able to learn from these predecessors. Spa is a genius storyteller who makes every chapter of this book read like an adventure story. Behind the stories are the dynamics of politics and business, rules and markets, as they play out in the realm of technology. She describes how pioneers forged ahead when technological development outpaced government regulation and market rules, leaving the government to sleep on. But ultimately, inevitably, even the cowboys realized the need for rules: property rights rules, cooperation rules, competition rules. Thus, the original pioneers turned to the government, persuading it to establish rules and setting the stage for the next wave of innovation. What truly makes this book captivating is the underlying institutional norms it describes, as well as the historical parallels it draws with our chaotic era.
Throughout history, there have been moments when technological progress outpaced government development, creating new markets, social structures, and immense profit opportunities. Some entrepreneurs, standing on the fringes of history, bent governments to their will and seized incredible gains. Many of their successes even exceeded their original most wild dreams. Others were not as fortunate. Despite some groundbreaking technologies and moments of glory in this chaotic world, they ultimately found themselves bitten back by markets still operating under old rules and governments that transcended jurisdictional boundaries and impacted the tech domain. Thus, the new world reverted to the old, leaving these pioneers stranded on the very paths they had fought to advance toward the future. From Pirates to Black Helicopters is essentially a book about the cutting edge of technology. It begins with the explorations of the Portuguese in the 15th century, telling the story of the development of the telegraph and radio in the mid-19th century, as well as the story of satellite television and the internet in the 20th century. These stories are fascinating and little known outside the academic circle. Through these tales, the book connects the development of current technology with its true ancestors. It will illustrate how Rupert Murdoch and Bill Gates, in many ways, inherited the practices of Prince Henry and Samuel Morse, and what they might still be able to learn from these predecessors. Spa is a genius storyteller who makes every chapter of this book read like an adventure story. Behind the stories are the dynamics of politics and business, rules and markets, as they play out in the realm of technology. She describes how pioneers forged ahead when technological development outpaces government regulation and market rules, leaving the government to sleep on. But ultimately, inevitably, even the cowboys realized the need for rules: property rights rules, cooperation rules, competition rules. Thus, the original pioneers turned to the government, persuading it to establish rules and setting the stage for the next wave of innovation. What truly makes this book captivating is the underlying institutional norms it describes, as well as the historical parallels it draws with our chaotic era.