It’s just a matter of time before renewed calls for a Works Progress Administration (WPA) or other Depression-era-like programs are trotted out again with the idea of Uncle Sam putting people back to work. FULL ARTICLE by Doug French
Source link: http://blog.mises.org/10960/obama-and-the-aqueduct/
Obama and the Aqueduct
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What I find interesting is that such technologically, scientifically and economically challenged societies were capable of building such majestous works that withstand the test of time and that today such works would be too expensive and difficult to make and would not last a generation. Too much red-tape and cost.
Have we really progressed in the last 2000 years ?
Mill Town,
Big difference imo is that we no longer have slave laborers.
Christopher,
Are you saying that slavery with ancient 2000 years old techniques is more productive than modern technologies, modern science, monster trucks and qualified personnel ?
I would tend to think that a small team of qualified workers with caterpillar gears could build that large aqueduct in a matter of a few days for fewer ressources than it would take should you own an army of slaves with ancient techniques. Not to mention the army of foot soldiers to control that army of slaves.
I would tend to think that modern technologies with modern economics is even more efficient than ancient slavery.
So how come we can’t afford to make such works today ?
Could it be government regulations and greedy unions ?
Nah, it couldn’t be, gotta be slave abolition.
lol, the ancients could think of little better then placing one large rock on top of another. The fact that rocks are durable isn’t a testament to the technology of the ancients.
Great review Mr. French!
I will definitely have to add this to my “to read” list.
Well, tall aqueducts are the ultimate examples of brain-dead engineering… they are engineering nonsense, and it is kind of hard to be inspired by them.
One would think that before building such massive structures one would spend a few days investigating properties of the substance (water) they are designed to carry. Like, make vessels of different forms and see how water flows in them. Discover the use of pipes to get water down and then up without having it to flow over an even slope.
If anything, these massive Roman aqueducts are monuments to the inherent stupidity of rigid governmental structures – which live and die by dogmas.
Bala,
” putting people back to work ”
I don’t know if I’m quibbling over words, but I always thought the phrase “put to work” is used with respect to machinery or draught animals. Maybe Obama and his men view all people similarly.
Mill Town and Christopher,
Your comments remind me of the people who look at 18th century architecture and talk about the ‘great craftsmanship’ of the era, comparing their modern homes to the upper class homes of the era. Have you ever taken the time to think about why you never see the homes of the poor? Because they were all demolished! If you were to look at the homes of the wealthy today you will see similar wood work and paintings to that of the wealthy of previous eras. Much like more recent times, many of the surviving ancient structures were either converted to other purposes of greater utility to the occupiers or had mild climates. The Pyramids for example are in terrible shape, they survive simply because the stone cannot be eroded fast enough!
So don’t talk about construction quality has gone down, far from it.
(grin). This has happened before, but in fiction.
There was a scene in one of the old asterix comics ( asterix and the Big Fight iirc)….romanised Gaulish chief ( name of Cassiusceramix) issues a decree to ‘Build an aqueduct!’, and dismisses the objection ‘..but why? the river runs through the village’ with ‘So?….Aqueducts are more Roman’.
it amazes me that the govt continues its misguided policies of trying to fix a debt problem by creating more debt. and in my opinion, one of the only ways for the average person who disagrees with this to protect him or her self is to invest in gold related assets, because of all the money printing the govt is doing. one gold mining company I particularly like is Aura Minerals, and I read several good articles on the company http://www.goldalert.com/goldmining/auraminerals , including one that discussed how Aura recently issued a new resource estimate at its gold mine in Mexico and offers a lot of leverage to the gold price. There are many unintended consequences of the govt’s policies, and I think we are only just beginning to see those play out.
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