Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1602

Carbon of a letter from Heath to Josef Solterer, Economics Department, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

January 31, 1957

 

 

 

Dear Dr. Solterer:

 

     I was delighted to receive your letter of December 14^th. I am more than happy to know that you have been thinking how there may be a mode of administration running through our Christian and very productive free enterprise system, namely, proprietary administration, that in the course of societal growth and development can be carried over into fields dominated traditionally by political administration. The Suez situation looks like a possible opportunity for this. I greatly appreciate your helpful thoughts along this line.

     When any property is administered by its owners — any capital property — for revenue and profit, the administration is proprietary. The only relationship between the owners and the inhabitants or other public who are being served is by voluntary contracts, any departure from which would affect the revenue and thus impair the value of the property. This, of course, is in high contrast to the customary unproductive political administration. It has the virtue of appropriation to the use of others rather than either mild or drastic coercion and ex-propriation of them.

     This proprietary administration, so consonant with the New Testament precepts and with all value-creating free enterprise, has been in my mind quite a long time. I have been hoping to find it being considered also by others who could obtain for it much wider attention and thoughtful consideration, especially among those best situated to profit from it. With this in mind, I have publicized the idea in a small way by correspondence and otherwise, as an example of which I enclose copy of my letter of December 3^rd addressed to Dr. Wilber G. Katz. I am indeed gratified to find that you independently have been thinking along similar lines.

 

     I had hoped for an opportunity to see you in December but was called away to New York and New Haven in connection with a widely generalizing book soon to be published on what might be called “social economy” as distinguished from the political. I like your use of that phrase and the important distinction it draws.

 

     I have no doubt the necessary financing of the Suez proposal can be arranged, probably with greater facility than in past undertakings of great usefulness and magnitude, once the worldwide advantages and vast profit potential become realized and well known. I am just beginning a wider publicizing of it, and am indeed grateful for your encouragement. I hope you will be indulgent towards my seeming inattention to your generous consideration and very perceptive comments.

 

                       Cordially,

 

 

                         Spencer Heath

 

 

SH/m

Encls: Heath to Katz, 12/3/56, copy.

       Society and Its Services.

       Notes on the Organization of R.E.