Water Capitalism Capitalist Thought: Studies in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Series Editor: Edward W Younkins, Wheeling Jesuit University Mission Statement This book series is devoted to studying the foundations of capitalism from a number of academic disciplines including, but not limited to, philosophy, political science, economics, law, literature, and history Recognizing the expansion of the boundaries of economics, this series particularly welcomes proposals for monographs and edited collections that focus on topics from transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary perspectives Lexington Books will consider a wide range of conceptual, empirical, and methodological submissions, Works in this series will tend to synthesize and integrate knowledge and to build bridges within and between disciplines They will be of vital concern to academicians, business people, and others in the debate about the proper role of capitalism, business, and business people in economic society Advisory Board Doug Bandow, Tibor R Machan, Walter Block, Michael Novak, Douglas J Den Uyl, James Otteson, Richard M Ebeling, Douglas B Rasmussen, Mimi Gladstein, Chris Matthew Sciabarra, Samuel Gregg, Aeon J Skoble, Stephen Hicks, C Bradley Thompson, Steven Horwitz, Thomas E Woods, Stephan Kinsella Titles in the Series Economic Morality: Ancient to Modern Readings, by Henry C Clark and Eric Allison The Ontology and Function of Money: The Philosophical Fundamentals of Monetary Institutions, by Leonidas Zelmanovitz Andrew Carnegie: An Economic Biography, by Samuel Bostaph Water Capitalism: The Case of Privatizing Oceans, Rivers, Lakes, and Aquifers, by Walter E Block and Peter Lothian Nelson Water Capitalism The Case of Privatizing Oceans, Rivers, Lakes, and Aquifers Walter E Block and Peter Lothian Nelson LEXINGTON BOOKS Lanham • Boulder • New York • London Published by Lexington Books An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 www.rowman.com Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB Copyright © 2015 by Lexington Books All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Block, Walter, 1941- author Water capitalism : the case for privatizing oceans, rivers, lakes, and aquifers / Walter E Block and Peter L Nelson pages cm (Capitalist thought: studies in philosophy, politics, and economics) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-1-4985-1880-2 (cloth : alk paper) ISBN 978-1-4985-1881-9 (electronic) Water-supply Water rights Privatization I Nelson, Peter L (Peter Lothian), 1946- author II Title III Series: Capitalist thought: studies in philosophy, politics, and economics HD1691.B575 2015 333.91 dc23 2015032605 TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 Printed in the United States of America Prior to the writing of histories, from before the dawn of civilization, the Homers of earth braved the elements to reach new vistas This book is dedicated to those maniacal mariners who have revolutionized society in ways that the petrified toe-dippers of the world never believed possible May ensuing adventurers continue that quest for excellence! Maps Mississippi River Watershed Central California Watersheds Note: The Tule/Kern Watershed (including Fresno and Bakersfield) does not drain to the ocean Gulf of Aden and Environs