Abstract
We open this chapter with this statement: “There are three dimensions in which allocative cooperation is needed in economics: geographic, allocation in terms of types of goods, and then through time.” This chapter focuses on the third of these considerations. Borrowing from the Austrian School of Economics, using its structure of production model, we attempt to make the point that the moon landing in the last century was premature, and that our attempt to ultimately reach the stars was put back by this boondoggle. Instead, investment in human capital and technology would have better promoted this end.
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Notes
- 1.
We are inspired in this chapter by the 1960 Jimmy Jones rock and roll song “Good timin’.”
- 2.
Not interstellar space, the focus of most of this book. Rather, in this case our purview is limited to more earthly arenas. We are now referring to geographical arbitrage: bringing goods from areas where they are selling for a low price, to those “spaces” where they are dear, in order to earn a profit.
- 3.
The second author of this book insists upon “ugh!” The first author objects and hereby admits he channels Popeye, declares that he loves spinach, and assigns to the other writer the moniker: “J. Wellington Wimpy.” Have we gone wholly puerile? Probably, but then what else is new? (We acknowledge and thank Elzie Crisler Segar for his wonderful creativeness and the entertainment he has bestowed on Americans.)
- 4.
It is this reliance on the bayonet and similar instruments of destruction to kill and oppress that we regard as both immoral and illicit.
- 5.
The beauty of laissez-faire is that not everyone needs to engage in uniform practices such as dieting. “We” refers to those who wish to make this change, not those who do not. Block can have all the cake he wishes and Nelson can have his spinach too. More generally, some could join hippie communes, based on the notion “from each according to his ability, to each in accordance with his need.” Others would be free to go it alone, or on behalf of their families. In contrast, in a socialist society, the means of production are nationalized, and no one is free to set up shop for himself under pure communism. In attenuated versions of this system, some small enterprises might be allowed, but not large ones. The “need” to control others as exhibited in the socialist polity in turn stems from the idea of fellowship gone wrong. In prehistoric times where one of the leading causes of death was being eaten alive, close association with others within a tribe provided an evolutionary advantage and enhanced the ability to survive. Cooperation is therefore deeply ingrained in the human psyche. This working together is strongest where free association reigns. The desire for community becomes warped and destructive when it focuses on ensuring that everyone dresses the same, expresses only one opinion, and eats only approved foods. Where failure to toe the party line can result in death, people become dishonest, resentful, rebellious, and silent loners. The intimidated sit in dark rooms watching television. Prognoses for survival is then threatened rather than enhanced.
- 6.
In the most basic state of development, a log may be rolled to the desired location. No need for factories and no special training would be required. In a slightly more advanced community a single person could collect sticks and vines. He would then lash them together, weave a seat, and create a far more comfortable chair. It would take more time than the log and require at least minimum training.
- 7.
In addition to documentation, chaos has been experienced every time a shortage occurs such as following a hurricane when insufficient building contractors are available because bureaucrats forbid gouging by “outsiders.”
- 8.
These triangles are the mainstay of the Austrian business cycle theory. To delve deeply into the intricacies of this intellectual apparatus would take us too far afield from our present concerns. Our purpose in this chapter is to apply some of these insights to the matter at hand, space exploration. The reader interested in ABCT may consult this article (Barnett and Block 2009), which , although critical of the triangle for technical reasons that do not concern us here, lists a large bibliography of how this geometrical figure is used in ABCT.
- 9.
Along with numerous others.
- 10.
Actually, the relative price of otherwise identical goods at different stages of production.
- 11.
Even money is not as pervasive in the economy as is the interest rate. For barter takes place without the intermediation of money, while each and every price, without exception, depends upon the interest rate.
- 12.
But then of course we may not have been able to beat the Russians, which was the real Kennedian goal. But it was thus a dead-end objective because once the United States was victorious, there was no follow-up—nowhere to go.
- 13.
Thank you, Thomas Edison. Previously, dim and dangerous open flames in the form of candles, whale oil, or kerosene lamps, made popular by Rockefeller (Chernow 2004), were used for that purpose.
- 14.
The first author of this book has personal experience that indicates a vast degree of variable performance of GFLs . Most of them burn out within two to six months, one has lasted four years so far, and one (the last one he ever bought) had a life span of only 10 minutes.
- 15.
Many of Berendsohn’s expert fixes are difficult to manage in that each lamp is designed as it is. Some point up, others down. Customers cannot change that without throwing out the existing lamp; this is especially difficult if it is built-in. Many of his “expert fixes” do require experts to implement. It is easier to avoid the use of such products in the first place.
- 16.
Pardon the pun.
- 17.
For more on this refer to Juma 2016.
References
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Berendsohn, Roy. 2008. 3 Compact Fluoresent Light Bulb Problems—And Expert Fixes. Popular Mechanics. August 31. http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a3474/4276104/. Accessed 22 Aug 2016.
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Juma, Calestous. 2016. Innovation and Its Enemies, Why People Resist New Technologies. New York: Oxford University Press.
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Nelson, P.L., Block, W.E. (2018). Timing. In: Space Capitalism. Palgrave Studies in Classical Liberalism. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74651-7_13
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