Book Review: How the 'public good' is undermined by privatization
It’s all about power.
"The Privatization of Everything: How the Plunder of Public Goods Transformed America and How We Can Fight Back" by Donald Cohen and Allen Mikaelian explores the increasing privatization of public goods in the United States. The book is timely, as the Trump administration seeks to do just that.
The "public good" refers to services available to everyone and essential to society's well-being. Public goods include water, air, healthcare, public education, public land, infrastructure, law enforcement and national defense. Everyone benefits and contributes via their taxes. The book covers a wide range of examples, illustrating the pervasive nature of privatization.
Privatization shifts control of essential services to profiteers who make decisions to increase their profits instead of what is in the public's best interests. There is the potential for privatization to undermine democratic values and exacerbate social inequalities. The results are higher costs, discrimination, and potential corruption.
The reader will find a Call to Action in the final chapters. The authors provide examples of successful resistance and provide a roadmap for reclaiming public control.
