[cupofpython]

>The whole crux of the matter is that we don't know in advance what pays off.

Yeah we all know that. My post was sensitive to that. You're not wrong, but there is a cost to that.

>I take it you wouldn't have funded a patent clerk in Switzerland in 190x

Please cite sources on Einstein getting funding for his research from the government. I do not believe that happened, at least not while anything was theoretical. His PhD advisor worked for free, and Einstein published multiple significant papers on his own accord.

He was later paid by the government to take his theory and make the most out of it in reality, which is what resulted in the development of the weapons that won the world war.

So before you dismiss what I am saying for being a bit counter to the typical narrative about science funding - please be aware that what you want is what Germany did in that situation. Which was continue to develop theories of new fringe ideas instead of taking the new golden goose egg that was discovered and making something useful out of it right away