EPISODE · Dec 9, 2019 · 9 MIN

Sewing machine

from 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy · host BBC World Service

Women's lives were transformed by sewing machines, which made a "never-ending, ever-beginning task" far less arduous and time-consuming. But Isaac Singer, who made his fortune from these devices, was far from a champion of women's rights. Tim Harford tells a story of how self-interest can sometimes be a powerful driver for social change.

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Sewing machine

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