----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- Here is small part of what Henry George wrote about the biological influence on the natural rate of interest in "Progress and Poverty", Book III, Ch.III: "...But all wealth is not of the nature of planes, or planks, or money, nor is all production merely the turning into other forms of the inert matter of the universe. It is true that if I put away money it will not increase. But suppose, instead, I put away wine. At the end of a year I will have an incraesed value, for the wine will have increased in quality... "...Now what gives the increase in these cases [of wine, bees, sheep, etc.] is something which, though it generally requires labour to utilise it, is yet distinct and separable from labour -- the active power on Nature; the principle of growth, of reproduction, which everywhere characterises all the forms of that mysterious thing or condition which we call life. And it seems to me that it is this which is the cause of interest, or the increase of capital over and above that due to labour. There are, so to speak, in the movements which make up the everlasting flux of Nature certain vital currents, which will, if we use them, aid us, with a force independent of our own efforts, in turning matter into the forms we desire -- that is to say, into wealth..." Roger Sandilands ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]