Is Privatisation A Good Thing?
Poll: Is Privatisation A Good Thing?
Total Members Polled: 122
Discussion
grumbledoak said:
In practice the only system worse than a private monopoly and the abuse that ensues, is a state run monopoly and the abuse that ensues. There is some chance that the state will regulate the private sector, none at all that it will restrain itself.
This is probably about right, but where UK privatisation has failed is the lack of competition and the lack of decent regulators. Water should just be renationalised - there is no benefit to privatisation other than shift the borrowing off the government's books. In return the shareholders have laden the companies with debt and walked off with the dividends. There is no competition and non of the businesses can realistically be allowed to go bust. If you are in a Southern Water area you can't buy from Scottish Water because they have better prices, better environmental credentials, etc.
The energy market and energy industry is much much more efficient under privatisation than it was under public ownership, thanks to competition across the whole industry. Where it has failed slightly is longer term investment is much harder to justify when you don't know what prices will do in 5/10/15 years, but your plant has an expected payback longer than you can see. This is why nuclear power has been very slow to get going again, and the only building of new generation has been generally supported by government backing for a period of time.
JuanCarlosFandango said:
The benefit of a market is not just that private companies have better logos.
BR's corporate image and the book of design language produced for it was one of the finest works of graphic design to emerge from that era. I can't even think of a post-93 train company logo, never mind think of a memorable or aesthetically good one.Tango13 said:
Services like gas, water, electricity generation and supply should not be privatised, they are fundamental needs and as such should not be run for profit.
The rail network was within a whisker of breaking even just before that idiot John Major privatised it and look how well that turned out...
So you don't think I should be able to choose an electricity tariff that suits my use? Or switch suppliers because I take a proactive approach to my personal finance?The rail network was within a whisker of breaking even just before that idiot John Major privatised it and look how well that turned out...
And isn't food supply fundamental? Why do you exclude that?
Air transport?
Road fuel?
Where do you draw the line?
hidetheelephants said:
JuanCarlosFandango said:
The benefit of a market is not just that private companies have better logos.
BR's corporate image and the book of design language produced for it was one of the finest works of graphic design to emerge from that era. I can't even think of a post-93 train company logo, never mind think of a memorable or aesthetically good one.Now then now then howzabout that for advertising eh, guys and gals?
President Merkin said:
Isn't your postman an employee of a private company?
I think I'm right in saying the UK is just about the only country in the world to have fully privatised water.
You are wrong. Scottish Water was not privatised. Water here costs more than in London despite having more rainfall than we know what to do with. I think I'm right in saying the UK is just about the only country in the world to have fully privatised water.
https://www.freeflush.co.uk/blogs/freeflush-rainwa...
As for things like sewage discharged. Who knows? We don't even measure it in Scotland.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23532003.scotl...
So not a glowing report for public v private there
Edited by irc on Wednesday 22 May 00:11
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