ABSTRACT
Mutatis mutandis, akin phenomena are observable in the nature, which, after all, is the essential basis for human biological existence as well as a means of recreation and, more broadly, of the reproduction of human labor power. The highly advertized disappearance of the rain forest, the much commented upon hole in the ozone layer, the widely lamented pollution of air, sea and beach, along with the obvious shrinking of our living spaces, are all a part of the destruction of the earthly commons. It is instructive to explore the recent history of what in effect is rent-seeking on the part of the private industry: During the recent period of bottled water proliferation, there were a number of public health scares involving drinking water. The intersection of politics and economics created a multi-billiondollar-a-year industry, moving perception and money away from government and into the private sector. The public investment in clean public water becomes a private resource for the bottlers.
