The great ship canals were contingent achievements rather than inevitable lines on a map. Their construction demanded large financial commitments, sustained time and labour, national organization, and a willingness to accept risk. Available engineering had to be capable of cutting the route, while local geology still had to cooperate. The counterfactual therefore requires changed physical or political conditions rather than one cancelled decision.
Chapter · 0:47-1:23
Canals depend on institutions as well as maps
Building a major ship canal requires finance, national organization, suitable technology, and geology that construction crews can overcome.