Many refugees (mostly Jewish) from Vienna went to Manhattan, or the Manhattan Project. A few, like Freud or Popper, stopped in Britain, but many passed through to New York. Bernays (Freud's nephew) used his uncle's psychological insights to invent propaganda, marketing, advertising and PR. Others invented atomic and hydrogen bombs (probably less devastating than therapy and ads :) Some were Soviet atomic spies that reported back to the USSR.
Much of American pre-war/post-war intellectual life is due to European refugees. It's interesting to posit what might have happened without the influx.
Which would be incorrect, as Manhattan ALSO has a hyper conservative Orthodox jewish population which did not assimilate largely and basically caused measles outbreaks because they are vaccine "hesitant"
Don’t forget that European industry was demolished in the war
> when people who were able to get an education are paid and tasked with something other than selling ads and opioids.
Efficient market!
The status might have changed, but the city remains beautiful, and is an amazing place to visit. It’s up there as one of my favourite places. The architecture, museums, galleries, food etc.
The only pre-WWI European capital that remained truly globally relevant is London.
Istanbul and St. Peterburg are also important megacities, though stripped of their capital status.
In 1914, most of the Top 10 cities were in Europe. Today, London and Paris are.
What in your mind are the top 10 intellectual cities of the current era?
Plenty of culture war topics that currently shape the Western civilization originate in Berkeley or Boston.