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The, often corrupt, sell off of community assets feels like a constant in human society. From government kickbacks from oil companies down to community sportin

The, often corrupt, sell off of community assets feels like a constant in human society. From government kickbacks from oil companies down to community sporting clubs there is a tragic phenomena where if you have corrupt individuals in charge at a single point in time then there is a chance for an irreversible loss of a public good. Here's a link about a community club in Australia where one of the directors ended up owning the clubs assets after some bad decision [0]. [0] - https://www.michaelwest.com.au/a-barilaro-affair-how-the-barilaros-ended-up-with-the-clubhouse-when-the-club-went-under/ https://www.michaelwest.com.au/a-barilaro-affair-how-the-bar...

guerrilla 5y ago
Seems like something direct democracy or requiring referendums for such actions would solve...
- permo-w 5y ago
  it would help, but referenda are at the mercy of the media. if you have a nasty corporate-controlled media, which we very much do in the UK, then people will still happily vote away their community property. In the UK we had a referendum for more direct democracy. Something like 65% voted against, with a low turnout. Brilliant
  - guerrilla 5y ago
    That's a very good point. And how could that be rectified? Public service hasn't helped much nor more centralized state media. What do you do, require all news outlets be nonprofits?
    - permo-w 5y ago
      I’d start by introducing the same rules for the print media as there are for the broadcast media in this country. I.e stories have to be fair and balanced. show both sides of the argument
- StavrosK 5y ago
  Nah, the standard playbook is to keep firing a bunch of employees who run the resource until service degrades, then complain about how badly mismanaged the resource is and extol how perfect it would be to have it be managed by a private company, then you have a friend start a company where you have a nice big share, have the company buy the resource with the support of the people, profit.

guerrilla 5y ago

Seems like something direct democracy or requiring referendums for such actions would solve...

permo-w 5y ago
it would help, but referenda are at the mercy of the media. if you have a nasty corporate-controlled media, which we very much do in the UK, then people will still happily vote away their community property. In the UK we had a referendum for more direct democracy. Something like 65% voted against, with a low turnout. Brilliant
- guerrilla 5y ago
  That's a very good point. And how could that be rectified? Public service hasn't helped much nor more centralized state media. What do you do, require all news outlets be nonprofits?
  - permo-w 5y ago
    I’d start by introducing the same rules for the print media as there are for the broadcast media in this country. I.e stories have to be fair and balanced. show both sides of the argument
StavrosK 5y ago
Nah, the standard playbook is to keep firing a bunch of employees who run the resource until service degrades, then complain about how badly mismanaged the resource is and extol how perfect it would be to have it be managed by a private company, then you have a friend start a company where you have a nice big share, have the company buy the resource with the support of the people, profit.