[9229] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
'Privatization' Through The Ages (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Arthur R. McGee)
Thu Dec 23 21:25:40 1993
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1993 18:24:41 -0800 (PST)
From: "Arthur R. McGee" <amcgee@netcom.com>
To: com-priv@psi.com
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Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
>From: New Liberation News Service <nlns@igc.apc.org>
Subject: 'Privatization' Through The Ages
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1993 01:02:09 GMT
/* Written 8:03 am Dec 18, 1993 by lvpsf@igc.apc.org in igc:labr.privatiza */
/* ---------- ""Privatization" Through The Ages" ---------- */
"Privatization" Through the Ages
The concept of a converting a public, governmental function
to a source of profits for private individuals (or corporations)
is an ancient one. While it is not possible to pinpoint
accurately the very earliest form taken by this scheme, it
certainly helped bring about the fall of the Roman Empire.
One of the most basic functions of government under Rome was
the collection of taxes. The right to assess and collect taxes
was assigned by license to individuals in may provinces (ie,
conquered lands). The government set the base rate for taxes,
which the collector must remit. However, the tax collector was
free to collect larger sums and keep the difference. These
private tax collectors often became quite wealthy in the
business. While the government did not view this conduct as
criminal, these people enjoyed very low social/moral status in
their communities.
This continued through the Middle Ages in many area. In
England, tax collecting officials such as Sheriff (Shire
Official) of Nottingham so oppressed the people that legends of
an avenging tax rebel - Robin Hood - survive to this day. It was
this private system of tax collection which so delayed the ransom
of Richard lll Lionheart during the Crusades; the tax collectors
skimmed so much money off the top that it took years to raise the
ransom.
Private military operators-mercenaries-also date to
antiquity. Rome and Byzantium made extensive use of hire,
professional troops without national loyalty. Careers of this
sort were popular during the Renaissance, when younger sons of
noble houses often became mercenary captains. Some minor German
and Italian states derived a significant portion of their
national budget from hiring out their armies to other nations.
Hessian mercenaries fought for England in the American
Revolutionary War.
The fledgling United States included in it's Constitution
the ability to grant "Letters of Marque and Reprisal." Such
letters allowed the hold to harass and attack enemy shipping
during wartime, using privately owned and funded ships, weapons
and crews. In return the hold retained the "spoils of war." Such
private warships were called privateers, but often turned pirate
in peace time, or through indiscriminate harassment of all
profitable shipping. Through the War of 1812, these privateers
formed part of the young nation's defenses. At the Battle of New
Orleans-after the war ended-Jean LaFitte's pirates served as
mercenary troops under Andrew Jackson.
Schemes for privatization have come and gone over the years.
The word itself came into popular use during the Reagan
Administration (1981-88)-a sparkling new word for one of the
oldest scams know to humanity.
Talking About the Union, Phil Helms, Sep 1990.
