Money Can Grow on Trees - The Economist - 1 views
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Wonwoo C on 08 Oct 10In Indonesia, where the land was once seemed to be covered by endless dark waves of treetops, almost indiscriminate logging is taking place - both legal and illegal. The irony is, this deterioration of forests in the country is actually recorded as progress. This is because the land which is cleared is used for other purposes which are considered less 'scarce'. Logically, in a country with plenty trees, the scarcity of trees will not be very high. Thus, by reducing supply of something which they have an ostentatiously an 'infinite' supply of and acquiring more scarce means of economic production, this economic phenomenon is recorded as progress in Indonesia.