Episode 9 - Henry Ford: Assembly Line Genius

Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, but he put the world on wheels. This episode explores the revolutionary genius of a man who transformed the car from a luxury toy for the rich into an essential tool for the masses with the creation of the Model T. We dissect the innovation that made it all possible: the moving assembly line. This wasn't just a manufacturing breakthrough; it was a fundamental reorganization of labor, time, and production.

We chart the rise of the Ford Motor Company and the staggering efficiency of its Highland Park plant, where the time to build a car plummeted from 12 hours to just 93 minutes. This efficiency allowed Ford to slash the price of the Model T, making it affordable for his own workers. We also examine his radical decision to pay a "$5 day" wage, double the industry standard, a move that was both a brilliant business strategy to reduce worker turnover and a powerful social statement.

For a time, Henry Ford was hailed as a populist hero, the farm boy who democratized the automobile and created a new middle class. His vision promised a future of prosperity and mobility for all. This is the story of Ford the innovator, the man who perfected the machine that would define the 20th century.