Castro and Economic Man, or What Is a Prisoner Worth?

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In the October, 1961, issue of this Journal, my article on "The Valuation of Human Capital" presented estimates of the capitalized values of "expected" lifetime earnings for males at various ages. At a 4 per cent rate of discount, the gross value (without deduction for consumption) of a male, age twenty to twenty-four, was $55,950. Thus, the gross value of 1,113 such men would be $62,272,350, or, rounded off, $62 million. The 1,113 is the number of Cuban prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion, and $62 million is the ransom demanded for many weeks by Fidel Castro!
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)172
JournalThe Journal of Political Economy
Volume71
StatePublished - 1963

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Castro and Economic Man, or What Is a Prisoner Worth?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this