Table 1. Selected Technological Developments and Per Capita GNP for Selected Countries 1820-1998 and Contribution of Technologies to U. S. GNP in 1996

 

 

Approximate Contribution and percent of total to GNP of USA in 1996 (in Billions)**

 

283.2

(4.2%)

1316.0

(19.4%

695.3

(10.2%)

455.5

(6.7%)

270.0 (apx)

(4.0%)

459.1

(6.8%)

130.4

(1.9%)

 

 

 

Per Capita GNP by Country***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year

USA

UK

France

Germany

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1998

$27331

18714

19558

17779

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Computerization of the workplace

 

 

‘Smart’ bombs

Genetic manipulation

Genetically  engineered crops

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Offshore Assembly plants

Personal Computer

 

 

Advanced reproductive technologies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1973

16689

12022

13123

11966

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Space Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nuclear

 

 

 

ICBMs

Transplant surgery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jet travel

 

 

“Green” revolution

 

 

1950

9561

6907

5270

3881

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nuclear weapons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rockets

Penicillin

Insecticides

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Television

 

Airplanes

 

Herbicides

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tanks

 

 

 

 

1913

5301

4921

3485

3648

 

 

 

 

Fordism

Radio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electricity

Taylorism

Wireless

Airplane

 

Purification of water supplies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phonograph

Automobile

Maxim rifle

x-rays

Tractor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telephone

 

Submarine

 

 

 

 

1870

2445

3191

1876

1821

Oil

 

 

 

Iron-clad ships

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Telegraph

 

 

 

Norfolk-four-course rotation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Railroad

 

 

Steam-driven threshing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Factory Production

 

 

 

 

McCormick reaper

 

 

1820

 

1257

1707

1230

1117

Steam

Mass production

 

 

Mass production of weapons

 

 

 

 

 

Technology Category

Energy

Manufacturing (organization of work)

Communication

Travel

Military

Medicine

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

* This does not imply a causal relationship between technology and economic growth, but, rather, that the two are interrelated.
** GNP figures (the dollar total of all goods and services produced)  by area are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce (http://www.bea.gov/bea/dn2/gpoc.htm).  The figures are approximate and based on BEA categories and do not include government expenses..

*** Source: Maddison 2001