[cfcef]

> The only reason that things like canals get built is because people can charge money to recoup their costs.

In the case of the Suez Canal, though, it wasn't finished in 1869 for the income it could deliver in 2016, since discounted at 7%, even the headline figure of $350000 would've been worth in 1869 ~$17. (Which is just as well for the French investors in 1869, since they and the later UK investors would eventually be expropriated by Nasser in 1956 and would see nothing of any revenue after that.)

[vacri]

It was, however, expanded recently at great expense, for the income it could deliver. It's not like the 2016 canal is the same as the 19th C canal.

[cfcef]

And that expansion was done for the revenue it could deliver now, not in 2108. If the original Suez Canal had not been constructed in 1869, then this new one could still have been constructed now and it would be for the short-run gains, not gains a century-plus away.

[mdpopescu]

Someone really doesn't like you...

[vacri]

I was being a bit confrontational upthread. The downvotes there are fine, but the 'overflow' downvoting on this comment was a bit amusing - given the very next comment on the page (from slyall) was saying the same thing :)