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On re-reading John Stuart Mill, I am awed by the richness of his analysis. 
Section 15 of chapter 11 of book 5 (Principles of Political Economy, 1848) 
begins as follows: 
 
<<    15. The same principle which points out colonization, and the relief 
of the indigent, as cases to which the principal objection to government 
interference does not apply, extends also to a variety of cases, in which 
important public services are to be performed, while yet there is no 
individual specially interested in performing them, nor would any adequate 
remuneration naturally or spontaneously attend their performance. Take for 
instance a voyage of geographical or scientific exploration. The 
information sought may be of great public value, yet no individual would 
derive any benefit from it which would repay the expense of fitting out the 
expedition; and there is no mode of intercepting the benefit on its way to 
those who profit by it, in order to levy a toll for the remuneration of its 
authors. Such voyages are, or might be, undertaken by private subscription; 
but this is a rare and precarious resource. Instances are more frequent in 
which the expense has been borne by public companies or philanthropic 
associations; but in general such enterprises have been conducted at the 
expense of government, which is thus enabled to entrust them to the persons 
in its judgment best qualified for the task. Again, it is a proper office 
of government to build and maintain lighthouses .... >> 
 
 
 
There truly is much to be learned from the classics. And this wisdom is not 
protected by copyright!  The entire text of Mill's 1848 volume is available 
on the web at 
http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/mill/prin/index.html 
 
My apologies for slighting the British classical economists. Samuelson 
stood on the shoulders of giants. 
 
Larry Willmore 
UN 
 
 
 
 
 
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