ABSTRACT
Sustained economic growth is not compatible with predatory cleptocratic government.
Karl Gunnar Persson Professor of economic history, in An Economic History of Europe, p. 97
Manufacturing works within the society and economy. As such, the society and economy do have a strong influence on manufacturing. In this chapter, we will look at different periods where the situation of the economy influenced manufacturing. The biggest disruptions in the twentieth century were the two World Wars, with many of the participating countries switching at least partially to a centrally planned wartime economy. We will also look at what rose from the ashes after the destruction of World War II (WW II), in particular, the economic miracle in West Germany.
