Pages

Monday, June 08, 2009

Public vs. Private Sector

I've got several friends (no, really) who question my seemingly unvarnished trust in the private sector to handle things. To which I'd respond, "Why do you have such faith in the government?" In any case, my preference for activities being done by the private sector can be boiled down to the absence one word: coercion. If you want a service from the private sector and you don't like its quality, you can usually go to a competitor. If the service you want is provided by the government, odds are that it is ONLY provided by the government, and if you don't like it, you can still be coerced to pay for it (e.g. the public schools). If you try to avoid payment, a private-sector company can sue you or send a collection agency. The government can have you arrested, put in jail, and drag you into court with an endless supply of prosecutorial money. Corporations can sue you, but they can't put you in jail. That is why I prefer the private sector.

No comments: