America’s Dominance and Europe’s Opportunities

Modern IT is a child of war—both the “hot” war from 1939 to 1945 and the “cold” war that seamlessly followed. There was state and scientific support to varying degrees on both sides of the Atlantic, but it had long-term effects only in the United States. In Europe, there were good approaches, especially in Great Britain and Germany, but they remained largely unused. In comparison, the development of IT almost completely bypassed the major system opponent, the Soviet Union. The lack of commitment from governments and science in post-war Europe, but especially the absence of targeted commercialization of the industry as was common in the USA, has led to the current worldwide dominance of American IT companies. The misunderstanding of the strategic importance of “computing” by European politics is evident in its consequences to this day.