King Canute -- the first socialist?

WHEN King Canute of England (actually he was a Dane) thought he was so powerful that he could turn back the tide, he got his feet wet. He was the first socialist, believing theory was more powerful than the law of nature. Here in South Africa we have our own Canutes. They believe that by issuing lofty decrees, market forces can be " managed". Latest example is the purported ban on maize being used to make biofuels, theory being that if it is allowed the price of bread will rise. Ho, hum. Someone should do Economics 101. You see, children, if the price of maize goes up because bio fuel refiners demand more of it than can be supplied, more will be produced. Keeping the price of maize low by Government Fiat (which a ban on its use as biofuel will do) will simply mean farmers will grow something that is more profitable to them. Less maize produced will lead to a higher price for a while until the balance is restored.