Quote:
Originally Posted by liberty1776
I don't really know enough about the third world countries to speak to this very well. But I can guess at a few things. First, I know that there are oppressive dictatorships in a lot of third world countries. This would seem to support my argument. Second, when you say 'prvitized' what do you mean? Have they actually been prvitized? Third, if they are truly prvitized, what is the problem that is keeping them from getting water?
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I'm not all that knowledgeable of the Third World either, but enough to know that there are a lot of people pissed at the rapid liberalization and deregulation mandated by the IMF. Listening to their arguments in
A Movement of Movements, I think, or Stiglitz's arguments in
Globalization and its Discontents, helps one understand just how destructive these laissez-faire policies can be on the lower classes and to progress in general, particularly in developing countries.
When I say "privatized," I mean that state-owned enterprises are sold off to (almost always foriegn) firms. These firms are privately owned, so yes, the services have truly been privatized. The problem lies in the fact that many of these people live in poverty and cannot afford some essential newly-privatized services, such as water or electricity. Usually, the rapidity of the process and government corruption contribute to a single firm having an unfair advantage in the market, and knowing that its services are essential, it raises the prices to a point that many people cannot afford. You can say, "Oh, well, if it wasn't for government, then this problem wouldn't have happened," but that still ignores the tragedy unfolding and the problem of the
application of privatization, liberalization, and deregulation.