Opportunity cost is a very interesting concept. As you mention, if the wealth doesn't exist, it cannot possibly be destroyed. Why would anyone "leave money on t

Opportunity cost is a very interesting concept. As you mention, if the wealth doesn't exist, it cannot possibly be destroyed. Why would anyone "leave money on the table" though? Glutting the wealth creation is not fundamentally destructive - what if a specific location cannot actually sustain high production levels because their housing supply, energy supply, or talent supply is insufficient? What if unfettered growth will lead to a collapse that destroys a lot more value than the potential future wealth destroyed? What if a company heavily invests in business and retail construction and a global pandemic happens? Wealth creation is impossible to separate from public policy. For Manhattan to exist, a large amount of money had to be poured into its fundamental blocks.