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Any resource in which more cannot be elastically created by the application of more money is a zero-sum game, or close to it. Land is one obvious example. edi
by AlisdairO 15y ago
Any resource in which more cannot be elastically created by the application of more money is a zero-sum game, or close to it. Land is one obvious example.
edit: Political power might be considered another - at least up until the point when you cause people to riot.
- Gormo 15y agoI'm not sure that land fits the bill. Land can be created, especially if you define land as physical space suitable for human habitation and productivity: technological improvements that render formerly uninhabitable terrain useful can be construed as 'creating' land. Seasteading and space colonization will eventually begin 'creating' land in this fashion. Technological improvements that allow progressively smaller amounts of physical space to maintain a constant amount of productivity also have a similar effect. Even in the most literal sense, physical terrain can be created; the Dutch are pretty good at turning sea into land, and in the very distant future, we may be able even to construct entire planets out of dust and debris. Maybe the supply of matter and energy with which to do these things is a zero-sum game, but not likely one we'll have to worry about any time soon.
- AlisdairO 15y agoVery interesting point - although the point stands in general. The game is, if not zero sum, then close to. The amount of land we can own does not rise in a remotely commensurate fashion with a society's wealth, because methods of creating land (particularly in crowded countries like my own) are extraordinarily expensive.