alt.politics.economics

On Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:25:10 -0700, cpt banjo
wrote:

>On Oct 4, 4:14 pm, ro...@ wrote:
>> On Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:21:50 -0700, cpt banjo
>> wrote:
>>
>> >On Oct 4, 10:12 am, "Mark M." wrote:
>> >> cpt banjo wrote:
>> >> > On Oct 3, 9:47 pm, ro...@ wrote:
>>
>> >> >>Some are privileged to own the natural resources that others must
>> >> >>then pay for the opportunity to use.
>>
>> >> > Natural resources usually don't just lie around waiting for someone to
>> >> > use them.
>>
>> >> Um... Lying around waiting to be used is what defines them as natural resources.
>>
>> >> They must be extracted (oil, gas, and coal, for example)
>>
>> >> Um... Once they are extracted they aren't natural resources anymore. They are raw
>> >> materials.
>>
>> >So a piece of wood lying on the ground is a natural resource, but once
>> >I pick it up it's a raw material??? Let's not quibble over
>> >definitions.
>>
>> It's not a quibble. It's a crucial, pivotal distinction that smashes
>> your whole belief system to smithereens.
>>
>> >The obvious point is that most natural resources aren't immediately
>> >useable but must be removed and/or processed in some fashion.
>>
>> No, the obvious point, which apparently eludes you completely, is that
>> they can't be removed and/or processed in any fashion whatever unless
>> they are ALREADY THERE, WAITING TO BE USED.
>>
>> _GET_IT_??
>
>First of all, son, you haven't a clue as to what my "belief system"
>is, so please get off your soapbox.

Oh, I think I can make a pretty good guess.

>It's obvious that the resources
>have to be there, but you seem to be assuiming that this alone
>guarantees that the owner of the resources automatically has an
>advantage by reason of his ownership.

It definitely does.

>Suppose that a tract of land
>has $10 million of natural gas underneath it, but that it would cost
>$20 million to extract it. Pray, what advantage does the owner have
>over someone who doesn't own it, other than the opportunity to sell
>the land to a speculator?

?? That's not an advantage?? What happens when technology halves the
cost of extracting the gas, and its market value is doubled? And who
says access to the gas is the only advantage owning the land confers?

-- Roy L