Contrary to the anecdotal evidence of the 1980s, basic research does confer a preferential economic advantage on countries that fund it. That is why the United States is likely to dominate vital markets welt into the next century. EVERYWHERE in the industrial West there are pressures to reduce public funding for basic research in favour of more applied . work. In part, the pressures are due to a change in the public perception of the benefits of basic research. But even those who understand the value of basic research often question whether it confers any special economic advantage on the country that funds it.
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