Innovate or die

I applaud law firm of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly’s admiration for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs in Andres Oppenheimer’s Innovate or Die series. No doubt it contributes to America’s status as a technological power house.

However, Silicon Valley is not the greatest concentration of innovative minds. For that, you have to travel to the United States of the Gilded Age. An explosion of creativity and innovation happened in every industry imaginable. Why? The hand of government was absent.

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 8:37 PM with the headline "Innovate or die."