Why do electrical standards continue to differ so much between countries?

Question

[Voltages and frequencies](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/World_Map_of_Mains_Voltages_and_Frequencies%2C_Detailed.svg/2754px-World_Map_of_Mains_Voltages_and_Frequencies%2C_Detailed.svg.png) are bad enough but [**plugs**](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/World_map_of_electrical_mains_power_plug_types_used.svg/2560px-World_map_of_electrical_mains_power_plug_types_used.svg.png) are on another level entirely.

Small appliances differ very little, if at all, and some brands can be found nearly everywhere – yet manufacturers (or users themselves) need to adjust them to local standards… that are there for what reason? Why can’t a universal standard be agreed upon?

There is a cost of adopting a standard, of course, but can’t adoption be gradual – e.g. replacement at EOL?

In: Other

Answer 1

Like tmahfan said, all the different styles developed before there was common global travel by a large proportion of people, so countries and regions developed their own “standards” and that worked fine because not many people left their country or continent very often.

>replacement at EOL?

**Replacement with what though?** Each country will say “sure great idea, as long as ours is the one everyone changes their stuff to at EOL.” That’s a big part of the problem. Consider what would happen if you suggested “why do languages differ so much, why can’t we have a global language. Adoption could be gradual, just teach all new babies the same language from birth.” Ok but do you see how the main problem there is picking which one? Are we all going to speak Mandarin? Italian? There’s no one language that every country would agree to transition to, so the idea goes nowhere. People have tried this too, just like people have tried making a global electrical standard.

**The other big part** is [this famous XKCD comic](https://xkcd.com/927/), which I bet about 10 people are going to post for you in the comments here. Basically you’re right: a global standard would be amazing, and people have tried to make one. Too many people!! Every time another one does, the need for a standard gets even greater, but now there’s even more competition for what that standard should be… Which inspired someone else to push for a new standard…It’s a vicious cycle / feedback loop.