The chips, like dust -- references The Stars, Like Dust, a 1951 book by Asimov.

And then the rest became clear:

Empire and foundry-nation -- probably a play on Foundation and Empire, the second novel in Asimov's Foundation Trilogy.

"The Dead Past" is an Asimov short story first published in 1956.

"The Wedge" is a short story Asimov published in 1944.

"Birth of a Notion" is a 1976 short story by Asimov.