The last century was the golden age of automation. By January 1926, when the first edition of The Banker was launched, mechanisation had changed the face of the world, contributing to ‘efficiency’ in warfare, transport and industry. Henry Ford had been operating his car production plant in the US for more than a decade. Within the next four years, two-thirds of American homes would have electricity and almost half would have telephones. Technologies were varied, using hydraulics, pneumatics and electricity (the last two even in the office environment).
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