The counter-party then has the money, though, which they can then exchange for doing what they want. Like, I'm fine if a rich person decides to use their money

The counter-party then has the money, though, which they can then exchange for doing what they want. Like, I'm fine if a rich person decides to use their money to decide how water gets allocated, as long as they spend enough money on it that it ends up paying for better alternatives for those affected by the changes. Even to the point where I'm unable to get drinking water in my home - they'd have to pay for me to take time off work indefinitely and stay somewhere really nice, sure, but I'd be okay with that.