1.4.1 What? How? For Whom?
Completion requirements
Societies must answer questions about resource allocation when formulating paths to economic growth.
What? Will we produce corn or produce wheat? Will we build roads or build hospitals? Will we write textbooks or write newspapers?
How? Will we use wind power or nuclear power? ... manpower or machine-power? ... local labour or foreign labour?
For Whom? After the goods and services are produced, who will get them? Will we allocate them according to height, weight, religion, age, gender, race, health, or wealth? How will we distribute the goods and services within our society?
What? Will we produce corn or produce wheat? Will we build roads or build hospitals? Will we write textbooks or write newspapers?
How? Will we use wind power or nuclear power? ... manpower or machine-power? ... local labour or foreign labour?
For Whom? After the goods and services are produced, who will get them? Will we allocate them according to height, weight, religion, age, gender, race, health, or wealth? How will we distribute the goods and services within our society?
Think about this...
You are part of a medical team that has just harvested a life-saving organ. How will you decide to whom you allocate this scarce resource?
There is no right answer. The weight of making this type of decision is considered so great, it rarely is made by a single individual. Most hospitals have a criteria list that assigns points to each criteria, and the person with the most
"points" receives the organ.