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It's not a government until you get the guns out and force people to join up and pay dues whether they want to or not. What zbrozek described is just a co-op,
by nybble41 5y ago
It's not a government until you get the guns out and force people to join up and pay dues whether they want to or not.
What zbrozek described is just a co-op, or something less formal along the same lines: an organization designed to provide benefits other than financial profit for its (voluntary) members, who are also its shareholders. Co-ops are great. I wish people would use them more often rather than clamoring for unnecessary government involvement.
- lotsofpulp 5y agoCo-ops are good for a farm. Or maybe in a rural area without lots of easements. Logistically, everyone will want fiber, and there’s no reason it cannot be dealt with like water/sewer/gas/electric. I do not see a volunteer based co op making progress in an urban area.
- nybble41 5y agoThe water/sewer/gas/electric service you refer to is frequently supplied by a co-op, even in urban areas. I get my own electricity from a co-op. Natural gas is provided by a private company but there are also co-ops offering it in the area. Water and sewer are traditionally handled by the city, but are funded through service fees rather than taxes—there's really no practical reason why they couldn't be provided the same way. I can see the attraction in bundling everything together in hopes of cutting down on administrative overhead, but having the same organization empowered to impose taxes and regulations also supply utility services creates a huge conflict of interest and stifles competition.