Trade and Travel

Arnold Kling may be wrong on this one, and I definitely emphasize the word ‘may’. Labor Specialization, in my view, started from the first appearance of humanity, when people were trying to determine who was the best hunter. Subsistence labor combined with a small labor pool insisted upon Task specialization. The first markets may have consisted of Garage Sales, before Anyone got around to building Garages. It is known that early Mayans had already divided into Farmers, Fertilizer Specialists, and Builders. Arnold’s concept of Stationary Bandits needs a little work, as there is some evidence of Indian traders (think Gypsies) at work even before the rise of the Mayans and Incans. The trouble with this Discussion remains because none of these people thought to leave Us a Note explaining their economy; they may have been too busy making a living.

Academics have a long history of engaging in Lecture Tours. They have even long favored the principle of Conferencing. Criticism of such activity may be viewed with ambivalence, considering the system of Awards developed by the academic community. Award nominations and Votes often depend upon personal associations with the Electors, something which can only be gained with personal involvement in the propagation of ideas. Limitation of Travel for Academics places this dissemination process under great risk. A email suggesting other academics read your work just does not have the same impact, as an in-your-face confrontation; especially when it is accompanied with an articulate lecture. I personally agree with Keddie, but must warn that it threatens the Rewards system of the academic community, and thereby will not get a great amount of attention.

Travel is at issue in both of the above Paragraphs, and in both Cases the Profits/Costs picture becomes paramount within the discussion. Early Peoples found Travel extremely valuable in terms of Trade provision of Product, but potentially very risky–Arnold’s bandits. Later-Day Travelers find journeying to be personally-rewarding, but of very high Cost. In both Cases the goal is attainment of Product, which could not be obtained without such Transfers. Likewise, in both Cases the Participants found some value in the Travel itself–I always like those Conferences in Hawaii in mid-Winter. I would like them even more, if I could get some University to pay for my Ride. I would remind the Reader that this is not really a Criticism of the practice, just Resentment that I am not on the Pre-Paid List. lgl