Nothing shows the power of the state so much as forced displacements – where local populations are told by the Authorities to move for the sake of the Greater Good.

It is one thing this happening on a small scale to enable significant new development to happen and where a fairish price might be paid for land so acquired. Although people even then fight back.

And sometimes people are turfed out of their homes in war for pressing military reasons, never to return. See the sad story of Imber.

But displacements happen on much bigger scales than this, especially in the developing world. The results often being notably worse for people and the environment than the central planners expected.

My friend Chris McDowell knows a lot about all this. Here is is talking about the way the so-called Precautionary Principle can be abused to give cover to oppressive relocation schemes around the world.