Thomas Edison

Before

After

It may be difficult today to imagine a city without light, but in the early 1800s, a city with light was just as difficult to imagine. Before my revolutionary invention, people were limited to candle light, gas lights, oil lamps, and other inefficient methods of lighting. The development of the lightbulb paved the way for monumental changes in the way people lived their lives. Like other inventions, the light bulb was made possible by entrepreneurs who had benefited from the capitalist system. I would have gotten nowhere if capitalism had not given me the opportunity to work hard and rise in society. All 1,093 of my patents would never have existed, including the phonograph and motion picture camera. Capitalism combined with hard work was what fueled my success. I owe my status as a famous inventor to this generous system. The convenient inventions people use on a daily basis are a result of successful inventors who were able to live up to their full potential because of capitalism. People's lives would be very different today if these inventors lived in a society that did not give them a chance to succeed. The next time you see faraway city lights twinkling in the darkness, be reminded that it all trails back to the capitalist society in which you live.