|
Lego today is the most imprtant construction toy in America and around the world. LEGO is an abbreviation of two Danish words -- 'leg godt'. This meant 'play well'. The LEGO Group was founded by Ole Kirk Kristiansen (1891�1958), a Danish carpenter from Billund (1932). He began producing wooden toys on a small scale. He introduced the now famous name (1934). after World War II, the compny began making plastic toys. The company was passed to his son and this tradition was continued. The company is now owned by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder. The company evolved from a small carpenter�s workshop to a modern, global enterprise. Lego is now one of the world�s largest manufacturers of toys. The first Lego automatic binding brick continues to be the compay's most important product. The company's products have undergone extensive development over the years. Lego now offers a huge diversity of products that can be used in combination with the basic brick to build just about anything a child might want to build. The foundation of the compny, however, remins the traditional basic Lego brick. Lego was named �Toy of the Century� twice diring the 20th century. The basic Lego plastic brick in its present form was launched in 1958. We are not sure about the history of Lego in America, but believe Amnerica almpst immediately becamd a major market for Lego. A Danish company could only become so big selling into the tiny Danish market. So Lego had to develop markets in Europe, which had formed the Common Mrket (today's Europan Union) and the Unitedstates. And today it has a virtual monomomy on the construction toy market, not only in Europe and America, but in countries around the world. The essential genius of Lego was interlocking principle with its characteristic tubes makes it unique and offers virtually unlimited building possibilities to the child. All the child, usully a boy, is le his imagination run. As the compny says, "letting a wealth of creative ideas emerge through play.
LEGO is an abbreviation of two Danish words -- 'leg godt'. This meant 'play well'.
The LEGO Group was founded by Ole Kirk Kristiansen (1891�1958), a Danish carpenter from Billund (1932). He began producing wooden toys on a small scale. He introduced the now famous name (1934). after World War II, the compny began making plastic toys. The company was passed to his son and this tradition was continued. The company is now owned by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder. The company evolved from a small carpenter�s workshop to a modern, global enterprise. Lego is now one of the world�s largest manufacturers of toys.
The first Lego automatic binding brick continues to be the compay's most important product. The company's products have undergone extensive development over the years. Lego now offers a huge diversity of products that can be used in combination with the basic brick to build just about anything a child might want to build. The foundation of the compny, however, remins the traditional basic Lego brick. Lego was named �Toy of the Century� twice diring the 20th century. The basic Lego plastic brick in its present form was launched in 1958. The essential genius of Lego was interlocking principle with its characteristic tubes makes it unique and offers virtually unlimited building possibilities to the child. All the child, usully a boy, is le his imagination run. As the compny says, "letting a wealth of creative ideas emerge through play.
We are not sure about the history of Lego in America, but believe Amnerica almpst immediately becamd a major market for Lego. A Danish company could only become so big selling into the tiny Danish market. So Lego had to develop markets in Europe, which had formed the Common Mrket (today's Europan Union) and the Unitedstates. And today it has a virtual monomomy on the construction toy market, not only in Europe and America, but in countries around the world.
'The Lego Movie' is a 3D computer-animated satirical adventure-comedy. Given the popularity of Lego with boys, it could not help but be a big hit with boys. Legos are not all that popular with girls, but I am unsure about their interest in the movie. The plot was in a universe made of Lego bricks and populated with living mini-figures, the wizard Vitruvius attempts to protect a super weapon called the 'Kragle' from the evil Lord Business. He then prophesies that a person he calls the 'Special' will find the Piece of Resistance, a brick capable of stopping the Kragle. Thus an ordinary Lego construction worker whi is thought to be the 'Special' phrophezized by Vitruvius is recruited to join the quest to stop the evil tyrant Lord Business from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis. Now the basic plot is something like a Harry Potter/Narnia like fantasy that appeals to pre-teen children. But we wonder about the villain--Lord Business. This leads us to the question whu does one of the worl's most important toy corporation pose a businessman as the villain? Why is the villain not Lord Socialism? Why are children from such an early age introduced to the idea that business is evil? This is especially interesting because vurtyally all the toys that children thnt are the creations of private enterprise from Lego and Barby to the Walkman and I-phone. And in Denmark as in the rest of Europe, it is private corporations like Lego that pay the bills for the country's generous welfare system. Now I understand left-wing Holowood types (despite there is probanly no economic sector more cut-throat capitalist) coming up with this idea, but the interesting thing here is why a world-class competitive corporation like Lego wouth countenence it.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to Main U.S. specific toy page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Photography]
[Topics]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
