ABSTRACT
The choices between economic market and political process have to be specific as to time, place, product, participants, and degree. The empirical evidence is quite favorable for market decisions from World War II to about 1970. The economic evidence of the 1970s is rather unfavorable for government decision-making. A central question is the economic significance of mineral resources on US public lands which are withdrawn from access by industry. The defect of the economic need or national security argument as a generalization is that it is impossible to prove or support. Reservation and area specifics should be characterized by types of restrictions. Processes for review and evidence should be established. The burdens of proof can be heavy and the times for review infrequent. The chapter offers a comment concerning marginalism, markets, and incentives. In each specific case, our society can choose to make a decision either in a reltively free economic market or by government regulaion or arrangement.
