While I am unaware of any such study, I wonder if Humanity would be better served, technology-wise if everyone has access to research facilities and resources as opposed to the small minority that currently do have access.
I wonder this because I recently watched a story about a young girl was researching a possible for some cancers using a plant that only grows in the country in which she resides. As amazing as this sounds she was riding her bike to use facilities at a research facility five miles away. She had little medical training if any when she started looking into the cure and at the time that the story was aired, she was only sixteen (16) years old. Motivated merely by a desire to help people and an abundance of curiosity, this untrained young researcher sought to cure a disease that plagues more people year after year. Given the system under which modern Society is ruled and in most countries, this girl would have never had the opportunity to live out her passion and hers is not the only such story.
For decades there have been stories of some innovation or invention that would revolutionize a particular industry. In the automotive world, there have been stories of carburators that would allow car to get 70 miles to the gallon. The idea of cars running on hydrogen abound as well as tales of tires that outlast the life of a car. Almost all of these stories seem to be flights of fancy because we have never seen those technologies come to fruition. Accompanying those tales however were stories about those technologies being bought out by some giant car manufacturer which shelves the technology like the hundreds of thousands of crates seem at the end of the movie Raiders of the lost ark. Thenbthere are tales like the one about the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper, who has to fight Ford tooth and nail after they stole and mass produced his idea.
These are just a few instances in which Humanity's advance was hindered or completely setback when there is a monopoly or near-monopoly on resources, money and more important opportunities. This applies to all fields of study and research and innovation and leadership. Just look at those who lead or supposedly represent your best interests. Do you believe that of all those who could possibly lead your town, city, state or country, the best man or women is doing so. I personally would have to respond with a resounding no because I know that out of the 300 plus million Americans, there are better people than Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris, Diane Feinstein, Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. At the very least, I know there are potential leaders out there who are not so willing to push America into war after war with nuclear powers like China and Russia. I also imagine that there are potential American leaders who would NOT prioritize Ukraine's war with Russia over the well-being of the millions of Americans who are finding it harder to survive with every passing day.
So, consider a Society in which only one (1) percent of the population has input into that Society's advancement and well-being versus one in which all citizens can provide for the betterment of said Society. That would be racing a car operating on one out of eight cylinders against one operating on all eight cylinders... Or worse
