Dutch? We are talking about Late antiquity. Again, my point is that Roman empire was a totally different world. In all senses.
About the Netherlands. Do not understand your question. I do not know a lot about Dutch trade empire, but my knowledge is sufficient to conclude that they were a technological leader. Their emipre stretched from Moluccas to South Africa, they basically invented capitalism as it is and created first full-time stock exchange.
Please elaborate what do you want to ask here.
The whole point here is the idea that society was simply not ready for such innovations. Who needs steam power? You have cheap slaves. Plenty of them. Glorious Roman steel can even bring you more, and so on.
This is not about pure mechanics or mathematics. This is about social development. Civilsational development.
But the idea of steam-powered engine was not unknown to Greek philosophers. Of course it was just a mere toy. Still, first commercially developed steam engine (James Watt) had, as far as I remember, something like 1,5 percent of energy conversion efficiency.
Woohoo.
Main logical fallacy here is definition of “progress”. What is it? Purely material, mechanical sciences? Constant growth of GDP?
Progress, as far as I can understand, is at somewhat constant rate across all human history. But progress can be manifested in many forms. Primarily spiritual. Progress of mind.
You just have no idea how different our ancestors actually were. Their understanding of morality, of good and evil was totally different, for the most part. Romans, for example, openly glorified violence and saw no evil in gladiator tournaments.
Birth of Christianity was immense progress itself. Notions of morality, of good and wrong. All those stuff essential for functional modern society.
Sorry for broken English, guys. I am trying my best.
P.S. And, of course, our modern progress is not exponential. Modern science has its limits, it is just an instrument—not omnipotent.
P.P.S. Answering your question—yes, Industial Revolution was theoretically totally possible in a late Roman Empire. Theoretically.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolipile
But ancient society was just not ready for such a huge leap in development.
Thanks.
Basically says the same.