Post-1975's a tricky one, by this point Santa Clara's already had decades of stuff going on to make Silicon Valley a thing.
Depending on the POD, couldn't Hong Kong potentially count as a 'British city'? And might it stand a decent chance of achieving the title of "tech capital of the world" before the hand-over took place? And/or after the scheduled hand-over, if it can conceivably be averted somehow- some form of joint sovereignty condominium agreement, akin to that suggested by the New Ireland Forum as a proposal for Northern Ireland to try to bring an end to the Troubles conflict in 1984, perhaps? The British government were dismissive of that, but might they, and/or the Chinese be willing to consider it for a far wealthy, more technologically advanced and liberal Hong Kong? Considering where Hong Kong's GDP, and tech sector, stood back in 1997 (second only to that of Tokyo in Asia, and one of the five largest in the world), when it returned to Chinese sovereignty; and that Shenzhen only overtook Hong Kong to become China's (and the world's) primary technology hub a couple of years ago, it'd be one of the likeliest and most interesting possible options, IMHO...As the title suggests, with a POD no earlier than 1975, what would be necessary to allow Britain (or a British city) to achieve the title of the "tech capital of the world", rivalling or even surpassing Silicon Valley in size and power?
More likely it's creation gets laundered – either Tommy Flowers 'invents' a version for the Post Office or he's seconded to work with Maurice Wilkes developing an earlier Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator (EDSAC) at Cambridge. Since it's post-war and they would be the first (public) digital computer there's less chance of people making the connection between them and cryptanalysis so the surviving Colossi can continue their work. This is all pre-1975 though.Colossus isn't covered by the Official Secrets Act, and can be developed post-war.
You might be better off burning things down and then starting afresh. On the one hand nationalisation might help with funding, on the other – as sometimes occurred with other nationalised industries – that easy funding often becomes seen as a bottomless purse for requests regardless of logic. Samsung for example didn't get into the semiconductor business until the mid-1970s.Also, could there be something in keeping International Computers in public ownership, or perhaps one of Tony Benn's myriad schemes?
You might be better off burning things down and then starting afresh. On the one hand nationalisation might help with funding, on the other – as sometimes occurred with other nationalised industries – that easy funding often becomes seen as a bottomless purse for requests regardless of logic. Samsung for example didn't get into the semiconductor business until the mid-1970s.
Not sure, this isn't really my area of expertise. One section of high technology that often seems to get overlooked is medical imaging e.g. ultrasound, MRI, CAT scan, PET scan etc. several of which which were invented or developed by British scientists and doctors. The story about income from the Beatles helping EMI fund development of the CT scanner whilst nice isn't really true IIRC, but I did have an idea one time about the company following up on it by successfully expanding into the wider medical imaging field.Interesting. So, from around 1975 onwards, what would you say the best course of action is?
I meant to ask but any particular reason for this requirement?... with a POD no earlier than 1975...
I meant to ask but any particular reason for this requirement?
Only if there's massive changes within British society itself, particularly in terms of educating the working and lower-middle classes (which, knowing how British society operated at the time, is pretty unlikely). In that case, building up a vocational education system sooner rather than later would be the best bet, of which (in England and Wales, at least) the Higher Grade/central schools, the elementary schools' "higher tops" programs, the junior technical schools, and most of the Secondary schools could serve as a base (in Scotland, the advanced divisions of the primary schools would serve as the base) for junior secondary schools, which could lead (upon successful completion) to either a polytechnic - if also established early enough - or direct access to the job market. (Remaining secondary schools and virtually all grammar schools, à la Scotland, would thus be reclassified as senior secondary schools.) The only way Britain can get towards the level of being a tech capital is if it motivates enough students to move towards that direction - which is difficult during that period, because of how class-riddled British society was. Alternately, the Cockerton Judgement should be avoided at all costs.Have Britain stay out of WW1 - without that weakening, and mainland Europe in ruins/revolution and the US confined largely to its backyard (at least culturally), and Japan likely neutral, Britain can become tech capital of the world
Only if there's massive changes within British society itself, particularly in terms of educating the working and lower-middle classes (which, knowing how British society operated at the time, is pretty unlikely). In that case, building up a vocational education system sooner rather than later would be the best bet, of which (in England and Wales, at least) the Higher Grade/central schools, the elementary schools' "higher tops" programs, the junior technical schools, and most of the Secondary schools could serve as a base (in Scotland, the advanced divisions of the primary schools would serve as the base) for junior secondary schools, which could lead (upon successful completion) to either a polytechnic - if also established early enough - or direct access to the job market. (Remaining secondary schools and virtually all grammar schools, à la Scotland, would thus be reclassified as senior secondary schools.) The only way Britain can get towards the level of being a tech capital is if it motivates enough students to move towards that direction - which is difficult during that period, because of how class-riddled British society was. Alternately, the Cockerton Judgement should be avoided at all costs.
Put the pound in a much stronger position? I've seen it argued that one of the UK's economic problems has been that pound was perennially overvalued.One thing that really would have a helped is doing something to put the £ in a much stronger position by the 1960s and '70s...
Put the pound in a much stronger position? I've seen it argued that one of the UK's economic problems has been that pound was perennially overvalued.