Coercion and Privatization

This chapter defends a moral presumption against the governmental provision of services. This non-instrumentalist defense of privatization contrasts with non-instrumentalist defenses of the governmental provision of services and instrumentalist arguments in favor of governmental or private provision of service. The author argues that non-instrumental normative considerations favor privatization because people cannot consent to the governmental provision of services and all else equal it is morally better if people consent to provide and receive services. Furthermore, without citizens’ consent, governments do not have the authority to tax citizens in order to provide services. And in most circumstances, citizens do not have enforceable duties to provide public goods to their compatriots so it is wrong for public officials to coerce them to do so..