privatization

pri·va·tize

P0570200 (prī′və-tīz′)tr.v. pri·va·tized, pri·va·tiz·ing, pri·va·tiz·es To change (an industry or business, for example) from governmental or public ownership or control to private enterprise: "Egypt has to some degree privatized agriculture, allowing farmers to sell directly to consumers instead of through the government" (Marq de Villiers).

pri′va·ti·za′tion (prī′və-tĭ-zā′shən) n.

privatization

the act or process of transferring to private ownership industry operated by a government, of ten industry that has been nationalized. See also government.See also: Economics

privatization

The conversion of something, especially an industry, from state ownership to private ownership.

Thesaurus

Noun

privatization - changing something from state to private ownership or controldenationalisation, denationalization, privatisationsocial control - control exerted (actively or passively) by group action

Translations

privatizzazione

privatization

privatization:

see nationalizationnationalization,
acquisition and operation by a country of business enterprises formerly owned and operated by private individuals or corporations. State or local authorities have traditionally taken private property for such public purposes as the construction of roads, dams,
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privatization

the sale or transfer of ‘nationalized’, publicly owned industries into private ownership and control. In the UK this process is particularly associated with the economic and social theories of THATCHERISM. The sale of shares in British Telecom, British Petroleum, British Gas, British Airways, and other companies is one aspect of this. In other areas the sale of council houses, and proposed changes in the WELFARE STATE, particularly in the funding of health and education, are comparable. See NEW RIGHT, NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT
retreat of the individual from participation in political and PUBLIC activities.
a process in which traditional, working-class communal life styles are said to have been replaced by more family and home-centred ones, away from the older working- class housing and in relatively new housing estates. Sense 3 is particularly associated with the AFFLUENT WORKER study of GOLDTHORPE, LOCKWOOD et al. (1968-9). The focus of interest in this work is the hypothesis that significant changes in attitudes are associated with privatization. In particular, the breakdown of class loyalties, an ‘instrumentalist’ orientation to work, a new concern with living standards and status, a more pragmatic political orientation (rather than an ‘automatic’ support for the Labour Party), greater job mobility, and, generally, more individualistic attitudes. The Affluent Worker study is undoubtedly a ‘classic’ of British sociological research. Drawing on a number of themes which were popular in the 1950s and 60s, it has been a source for theoretical and empirical work in the areas of working-class structure, CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS, and CLASS IMAGERY. Critics have indicated the oversimplification of Lockwood and Goldthorpe's categories, questioning their empirical usefulness in circumstances in which nontraditional class locations are associated with instrumentality and increased political militancy. Critics have also noted the lack of consideration given to factors other than social CLASS in the work: race, gender, religion, age, for example, may all affect attitudes (see Rose, 1988). As part of the reorientation of British sociology in the study of social class and class consciousness, though, this study of changing aspects of social class structure and consciousness remains of central importance.

privatization

Privatization

The transfer of government-owned or government-run companies to the private sector, usually by selling them.

privatization

The conversion of a public enterprise to a private enterprise. For example, a government-owned railroad or airline may undergo privatization if ownership shares of the enterprise are sold to individual and institutional investors.

Privatization.

Privatization is the conversion of a government-run enterprise to one that is privately owned and operated. The conversion is made by selling shares to individual or institutional investors.

The theory behind privatization is that privately run enterprises, such as utility companies, airlines, and telecommunications systems, are more efficient and provide better service than government-run companies.

But in many cases, privatization is a way for the government to raise cash and to reduce its role as service provider.

privatization

see NATIONALIZATION VERSUS PRIVATIZATION.

privatization

the denationalization of an industry, transferring it from public to private ownership. The extent of state ownership of industry depends very much on political ideology, with CENTRALLY PLANNED ECONOMY proponents seeking more NATIONALIZATION, and PRIVATE-ENTERPRISE ECONOMY advocates favouring little or no nationalization. Thus, in the UK, the wide-ranging programme of privatization embarked upon by the Conservative government in the 1980s can be interpreted partly as a political preference for the private-enterprise system.

Advocates of privatization, however, also espouse the economic virtues of free enterprise over state control. Specifically they argue that firms that are left to fend for themselves in a competitive market environment are likely to allocate resources more efficiently and to meet changing consumers’ demands more effectively than a bureaucratic state monopolist (see PRICE SYSTEM).

In this regard, it is pertinent to distinguish between industries that can be considered NATURAL MONOPOLIES and those where, in theory, a more fragmented industrial structure could be recreated. In the former category come those industries, such as gas and electricity distribution, railway and telephone services, where ECONOMIES OF SCALE are so great that only a monopoly supplier is in a position to fully maximize supply efficiency. There could be a serious loss of efficiency through unnecessary duplication of resources if these activities were to be fragmented. The alternative of a private-enterprise MONOPOLY is not appealing either, critics argue, because of the dangers of monopolistic abuse.

In the latter category come industries, such as iron and steel, gas and electricity generation, shipbuilding and car manufacture, where, because production usually takes place on a multiplant basis, the scope exists for placing each plant under a different ownership interest, thereby creating a more competitive supply situation. However, because these activities are capital-intensive and, like natural monopolies, are characterized by significant economies of scale, the most that can be hoped for is the creation of a high seller concentration OLIGOPOLY. By contrast, the removal from the public sector of those individual firms (as distinct from whole industries) that were nationalized because they were making losses and needing reorganizing (for example, Ferranti, Inter nation-al Computers, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, British Leyland, British Shipbuilders) can be more easily justified.

The main problem with privatization is the extent to which competition can in fact be introduced into sectors hitherto confined to state monopolies, either by breaking up an existing state corporation into a number of separate private companies (as for electricity) or by encouraging new entry (as in gas and telecommunications). Because of this, it has been necessary in most cases to establish a regulatory authority (Ofgas and Oftel respectively for gas and telecommunications), backed up by the possibility of a reference to the COMPETITION COMMISSION, to control the industry. See DEREGULATION, INDUSTRIAL POLICY.

privatization

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Synonyms for privatization

noun changing something from state to private ownership or control

Synonyms

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