There are many metrics that demonstrate how far humanity has progressed, but productivity is undoubtedly one of the most prominent.
Human productivity has shown exponential growth since the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.
However, we don’t need to look that far back—simply compare today’s productivity levels to those of a century ago.
This graph illustrates productivity changes from 1760 to 2016 in the UK, using 2013 as a reference point (set to 100). Productivity remained relatively stagnant until around 1900, when it began to grow exponentially. From 1900 to 1950, productivity doubled, and from 1950 to 2000, it quadrupled. Overall, productivity increased nearly ninefold in just a century. To put it in perspective, assuming an average career length of 40 years in the year 2000, a worker in 1900 would need approximately 360 years to complete the same amount of work.
Why did this happen? Did human physical or cognitive abilities suddenly leap forward during this period? Unlikely. The more plausible explanation is that this unprecedented productivity growth stems from the infrastructure developed over the last century.
The graph above highlights the impact of two major infrastructural advances. From 1890 to 1940, during the era of electrification, productivity more than doubled.
Similarly, since the IT revolution began in the 1970s, productivity growth has continued along more or less a similar trajectory.
The advent of electricity and electric grids allowed people to work independently of time constraints, while railways and highways drastically reduced both physical and psychological barriers to transportation, leading to a surge in trade between distant regions.
The spread of the internet democratised access to knowledge and information, transforming them from private resources gatekeeped by aristocrats into public goods available to the masses. This resulted in a sharp increase in patent applications and scientific publications.
Source: Our World in Data
Infrastructure not only marks the difference between eras but also distinguishes advanced economies from developing ones. According to Our World in Data, Ireland's GDP per working hour in 2019 was $125.09, compared to Vietnam's $6.74. It’s hard to imagine that the average Irish worker is 20 times more efficient or competent than the average Vietnamese worker, given the same conditions. The key difference lies in the environment—specifically, the infrastructure that underpins the economy. Basic infrastructure, such as legal systems, public healthcare, and widespread internet access, enables high-value industries to thrive. This allows individuals in developed economies to contribute more to GDP in the same amount of time compared to those working in primary industries, such as agriculture.
As the saying goes, "The future is already here—it’s just not very evenly distributed." Sharing the benefits of research and discovery is essential for realizing their full potential. Infrastructure, in many ways, represents the democratisation of tools and technology. We must recognize and appreciate the infrastructures that support our modern lives, and our collective vision should aim to continue building on this foundation.