The French - Out-Capitalized by the Capitalists

I saw this article a few weeks ago in my newsfeed, "lost it", and fortunately, found it again today. Interesting look at a number of French inventions over the years, on which the French were never able to capitalize. 

Had no idea that it was a Frenchman who built the world’s first microprocessor-powered micro-computer! Who knew???

Wondering what the factors are - cultural, societal or others, that make it so difficult for the French to "capitalize" on their ideas and inventions.


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-18/the-french-disconnection-inventions-that-went-nowhere.html