2 thoughts on “The 20th Century: Metric Surge to Metric Mirage”
From what I remember, a number of prominent scientists and businessmen of the day supported metrication. Some even went before congress to speak in favour of metrication. Names like Edison, Eastman and Bell come to mind.
Somewhere along the line, these men didn’t but the money where their mouth was. Their support was moot. They had every opportunity to make sure their designs and manufacturing were done in metric units only. Edison was able to assure the light bulb base had a metric dimension and Eastman standardised film sizes in millimetres, but from what I could see they didn’t go to far beyond this.
If these men had made sure everything that came out of their company was metric metrication would have happened. There might have been some resistance but that could have been easily overcome. History will eventually show that the US was passed by and lost its top position because it never took the right path that others did. Ten years from now, China will be the top nation in the world and the US will have become a has been still trying to push its obsolete ways with no one interested.
Do you have references for the Spencer section? The claim that he was opposed to metric units and wanted base 12 seems like it would be fascinating to read more about.
From what I remember, a number of prominent scientists and businessmen of the day supported metrication. Some even went before congress to speak in favour of metrication. Names like Edison, Eastman and Bell come to mind.
Somewhere along the line, these men didn’t but the money where their mouth was. Their support was moot. They had every opportunity to make sure their designs and manufacturing were done in metric units only. Edison was able to assure the light bulb base had a metric dimension and Eastman standardised film sizes in millimetres, but from what I could see they didn’t go to far beyond this.
If these men had made sure everything that came out of their company was metric metrication would have happened. There might have been some resistance but that could have been easily overcome. History will eventually show that the US was passed by and lost its top position because it never took the right path that others did. Ten years from now, China will be the top nation in the world and the US will have become a has been still trying to push its obsolete ways with no one interested.
Do you have references for the Spencer section? The claim that he was opposed to metric units and wanted base 12 seems like it would be fascinating to read more about.