I disagree Churchill

In yesterday's class a Winston Churchill quote was introduced to us. It reads...

"I have always considered that the substitution of the internal combustion engine for the horse marked a very gloomy milestone in the progress of mankind."

Although he was a promoter of science and technology, Churchill also felt that in some instances advancements in these fields could be dangerous to society. Rather than the traditional horse and buggy, people were suddenly zipping around in cars at higher speeds. Many people would think, as it seems Churchill did, that this seemingly more dangerous environment on the roads would lead to more accidents, injury, and death. But as a matter of fact, the ratio of accidents to vehicle miles traveled actually decreased with the introduction of the internal combustion engine.

Another major improvement brought about by the internal combustion engine and the introduction of cars was the absence of horse waste that once covered roads and especially city streets where vehicle congestion was much higher. City sanitation improved greatly and a once never wavering stench was reduced to a high degree.

And most importantly the overall efficiency of travel was greatly improved. Travel no longer depended on a horse's stamina but rather an easily reproducible piece of technology. Once the internal combustion engine and the automobile were made cost effectively and affordable by the middle class, thanks to Henry Ford's assembly line technique of mass production, societies in many places were able to enjoy the many benefits that the new technology had to offer.

So Churchill, I disagree with your "gloomy milestone" classification, I'd consider the development of the internal combustion engine to be quite spectacular.