Comments on: Reclaiming Public Ownership: a 21st-century vision

By: Dave Berry

Dave Berry — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:37:54 +0000

I think there has been a bit of a myth grown up around the old nationalised industries and the Morrisonian model. As an employee of both the rail industry and gas industry I found that the strongest element of organisation was Regional and there was a culture of independence from Head Office or London. Before we suggest anything new we should examine the old to get a true picture of the organisations. Any State industry will need some national strategic direction, be it on energy or transport strategy. The actual operation can be retained at Regional level. There is some arguement for more horizontal integration based on joint utilities or joint transport operations.

By: laurence

laurence — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 21:09:17 +0000

Clearly this is the kind of intervention which needs to be supported. As stated above neo-liberalism is a powerful ideology, constructed from a number of “keystone” assertions/assumptions, one of which is that public ownership is inefficient and unsustainable in the long term. However, we now see clearly the other side of the coin. Private banks have ruined our economies, but are propped up by public money time and again. The blind persuit of profit is leading to ecological catastrophe. We were told that there was no alternative. But the rhetoric of neo-liberalism is now threadbear. Advocates of intelligent, progressive forms of public ownership are now required.