Eventually they will understand
Eventually they will understand that there are no such things as applied science, only applications of science (Louis Pasteur).
Eventually they will understand that it takes 15-20 years for basic research evidence to reach clinical practice.
Eventually they will understand that it is impossible to predict what questions will actually find practical applications in the future.
Eventually they will understand that spending on Basic research now provides the raw material for the next generation of technological advances that fuel our economic growth.
Eventually they will understand that Basic research is the pacemaker of technological progress.
Eventually they will understand that Science is a public good.
Eventually they will understand that the power of CRISPR Cas9 –based genome editing is something nobody could have predicted at the outset.
Eventually they will understand that without more than 30 years of research about gene expression, Transcription factor-based cellular reprogramming would have never opened the way to converting somatic cells to a pluripotent state.
Eventually they will understand that accidental discoveries continue to flourish in basic research with direct consequences for everyday life.
Eventually they will understand that human curiosity, creativity and inquisitiveness are the driving forces behind basic research.
Eventually they will understand that excellence should be the goal of funding, not a barrier to it (Mike Galsworthy).
Eventually they will understand that if you can accurately predict outcome, what you are doing is not research, it is development (Jim Woodgett).
Eventually they will understand that with funding rate for NSF/NIH/NHMRC/CIHR/ANR/…. less than 15%, very talented junior scientists will be leaving research.
Eventually they will understand that with funding rate for NSF/NIH/NHMRC/CIHR/ANR/…. less than 15%, basic research will suffer from the loss of knowledge and expertise.
Eventually they will understand but it is already too late.
An infinity of hypotheses 
Hello, Good post, you left one out in the english translation “Ils finiront par comprendre que la privatisation de la recherche est une catastrophe.” I would like to hear more about this catastrophe. Michael Eisen made the comments that the CRISPR research shouldn’t even be patented because it was funded by government grants. The obvious response is that industry will not develop technologies that are not patented, but is there another way? My experience is that we don’t have a very good infrastructure to commercialize basic research, the patent process is daunting, costly and although there may be cases where it’s not needed, I see our system locked into this model. I would like to see this process change, interested in your thoughts on the challenges in privatization, the hopes of open science?