Sewing machine

Published: Dec. 9, 2019, 2 a.m.

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Women\'s lives were transformed by sewing machines, which made a "never-ending, ever-beginning task" far less arduous and time-consuming. But Isaac Singer, who made his fortune from these devices, was far from a champion of women\'s rights. Tim Harford tells a story of how self-interest can sometimes be a powerful driver for social change.

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