You Don't Always Get What You Pay for

The Economics of Privatization

Elliott D. Sclar, Richard C. Leone

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English

Cornell University Press
19 November 2001

Economics; Privatisation

Series: A Century Foundation Book

Today, nearly all public services-schools, hospitals, prisons, fire departments, sanitation-are considered fair game for privatization.

Proponents of privatization argue that private firms will respond to competitive market pressures and provide better service at lower cost.

While this assertion has caused much controversy, the debate between both sides has consisted mainly of impassioned defenses of entrenched positions. In You Don't Always

Get What You Pay For, Elliott D. Sclar offers a balanced look at the pitfalls and promises of public sector privatization in the United States.

By describing the underlying economic dynamics of how public agencies and private organizations actually work together, he provides a rigorous analysis of the assumptions behind the case for privatization.

The competitive-market model may seem appealing, but Sclar warns that it does not address the complex reality of contracting for government services.

Using specific examples, such as mail service and urban transportation, he shows that ironically privatization does not shrink government-the broader goal of many of its own champions. He also demonstrates that there is more to consider in providing public services than trying to achieve efficiency; there are issues of equity and access that cannot be ignored.

Sclar believes that public officials and voters will soon realize the limitations of ""contracting out"" just as private corporations have come to understand the drawbacks of outsourcing.

After examining the effectiveness of alternatives to privatization, he offers suggestions for improving public sector performance-advice he hopes will be heeded before it is too late.

By: Elliott D. Sclar
Foreword by: Richard C. Leone
Imprint: Cornell University Press
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Edition: 1
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 16mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9780801487620
ISBN 10: 0801487625
Series: A Century Foundation Book
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 19 November 2001
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Professional & Vocational , A / AS level , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Elliott D. Sclar is Professor of Urban Planning at Columbia University, where he is also director of Graduate Programs in Urban Planning. An economist by training, he is a research associate at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Sclar is the co-author of several books, including Access for All: Transportation and Urban Growth and Shaky Palaces: Home Ownership and Social Mobility in Boston's Suburbanization.

Reviews for You Don't Always Get What You Pay for: The Economics of Privatization

This book by Elliot Sclar is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the bases and consequences of the still powerful drive to privatize. . . In short, Sclar's book is a work of enlightenment. . . It should be studied closely by anybody with a serious interest in these important issues. Edward S. Herman, University of Pennsylvania. Texas Observer, September 2000