German rearmament operated inside a political system that could reward loyalty and access over demonstrated technical ability. Project advocates gained from selling ideas to powerful patrons, which made it harder to reject costly additions or demand realistic delivery. Democracies also suffer procurement failures, but competing centers of scrutiny and accountability usually provide more checks. Wonder weapons emerged from those institutions and incentives as well as from engineering.
Notable Point · 6:40-8:08
Political patronage distorts technical judgment
The H-class problem was institutional as well as industrial, because dictatorship rewarded political access and loyalty alongside engineering claims.