Re:Cargo Cult Science by Richard P. Feynman (1974) [pdf]
by rsynnott on Sunday August 13, 2023 @01:15PM
(#37111919)
> Think about the big infrastructure projects that some "dictators" do in some countries. It would make more sense for the dictator to just pocket the money, or distribute it equally if he wants to give it up. But these projects and their prevalence suggests another dynamic at play here.
I mean, ultimately infrastructure is an investment. Now, it might be a _bad_ investment; some infra projects don’t make sense. But there’s a fairly obvious reason to do them, and even in totalitarian countries many are good investments.
And it's in many places, if not everywhere. People mock the Polynesians for engaging in a Cargo Cult but they don't realize that most countries do that in more "sophisticated" ways.
Think about the big infrastructure projects that some "dictators" do in some countries. It would make more sense for the dictator to just pocket the money, or distribute it equally if he wants to give it up. But these projects and their prevalence suggests another dynamic at play here.