Which Industries should be privatized vs. state owned

[mileslunn]

Of the Industries below, state whether you think they should be private or state owned.  In brackets is my preference.

Airlines (private)
Natural Gas utilities (Private)
Electric Utilities (Private)
Liquor Stores (private) - Note they are government in most of Canada, a few US states and most   Nordic Countries
Health Care (Public but allow private competition)
Education (public but allow private competition)
Roads (state, private can exist when there is an alternative route)
Water (state)
Telecommunications (Private)
Airports (private)
Seaports (private)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (private)
Pharmaceuticals (private)
Prisons (state)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (private)
Postal Service (private)
Infrastructure (mixed)
Broadcasting (mixed, but predominately private with a public broadcaster)
Natural Resources (Land mixed, extraction and processing private)

So what are your thoughts on these?  Also feel free to add any others you think should be included

[Dr. MB]

Water, utilities/power, garbage/recycling, prisons, postal service, rail, roads, airports, and seaports should be predominantly public. Basically, anything that has to do with infrastructure/transportation.

I'm fine with both public and private schools (including colleges – tuition should be reduced/eliminated at public colleges).

I agree there should be public broadcasting, but private broadcasting should still be legal.

Healthcare should be a public service, but I don't agree with banning private insurance.

The rest, it depends - from mostly public to mostly private.

[136or142]

I think generally only anything where there would be a monopoly should be state owned.  There certainly can be competition in postal service.

On the other hand, there can't really be competition with an airport and probably not seaports either. 

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

I think generally only anything where there would be a monopoly should be state owned.  There certainly can be competition in postal service.

On the other hand, there can't really be competition with an airport and probably not seaports either. 

I think this is fair. I would add that things should be publicly held when competition decreases usefulness. For example, a city can have multiple airports, but it's best to have just one, because of hub effects. Nevertheless, I think it's often a good thing if publicly owned things are operated by a private concessionaire, provided there is an open and fair bidding process.

[136or142]

I think generally only anything where there would be a monopoly should be state owned.  There certainly can be competition in postal service.

On the other hand, there can't really be competition with an airport and probably not seaports either. 

I think this is fair. I would add that things should be publicly held when competition decreases usefulness. For example, a city can have multiple airports, but it's best to have just one, because of hub effects. Nevertheless, I think it's often a good thing if publicly owned things are operated by a private concessionaire, provided there is an open and fair bidding process.

There is also the public 'authority' model, like airport authorities or port authorities.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Airlines (private)
Natural Gas utilities (Private)
Electric Utilities (Private)
Liquor Stores (Usually private but NIMBY about Virginia)
Health Care (Private)
Education (public but allow private competition)
Roads (public, private can exist when there is an alternative route)
Water (public in cities, public or private in rural ares)
Telecommunications (Private)
Airports (private)
Seaports (private)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (private)
Pharmaceuticals (private)
Prisons (public)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (private)
Postal Service (private)
Infrastructure (mixed)
Broadcasting (private)
Insurance (Mostly private except for FDIC, NCUA and PBGC until we can phase out defined benefit plans)
Science Research (Public and private)
Commodity advertising (Private)
Agriculture (Private)
Mining (Private)

[Intell]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (Public)
Electric Utilities (Public)
Liquor Stores (Private)
Health Care (Public but allow private competition)
Education (Public but allow private competition)
Roads (Public)
Water (Public)
Telecommunications (Public & Private)
Airports (Public)
Seaports (Public)
Banks and financial institutions (Private & Public)
Oil (Public)
Pharmaceuticals (Public)
Prisons (Public)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (Public)
Postal Service (Public)
Infrastructure (Public)
Broadcasting (Private & Public)
Natural Resources (Private & Public)

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Electricity - the grid should be public; generators should be private (or in alternative forms of ownership like community owned).

Airlines - private, same with airports

Health - public

Education - public (or private wuth assistance from the state; fee-paying schools should be phased out)

Banks - there should be some form of public bank   

rail - public

[Kingpoleon]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (Private)
Electric Utilities (Private)
Liquor Stores (Private)
Health Care (Private but allow state public competition - see Healthy Americans Act)
Education (Federal but allow private competition)
Roads (Federal, private can exist when there is an alternative route)
Water (State)
Telecommunications (Private)
Airports (Private)
Seaports (Private)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (Private)
Pharmaceuticals (Private)
Prisons (State/Federal)
Marine Transport (Private)
Rail (Private)
Postal Service (Mixed)
Infrastructure (Mixed)
Broadcasting (Mixed, but predominately private with a public broadcaster)
Natural Resources (Land mixed, extraction and processing private)

[America Needs R'hllor]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (strong Public regulation to make sure the resources benefit the population and not the billionaires, with private companies)
Electric Utilities (Private with public regulation)
Liquor Stores (private)
Health Care (Public but allow private competition)
Education (public but allow private competition)
Roads (state)
Water (state)
Telecommunications (Private with some regulation)
Airports (public)
Seaports (private with public regulation)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (strong Public regulation to make sure the resources benefit the population and not the billionaires, with private companies)
Pharmaceuticals (private)
Prisons (state ONLY, period)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (public with private investment)
Postal Service (public with private competition)
Infrastructure (public)
Broadcasting (predominately private with a public broadcaster)
Natural Resources (Land public, extraction and processing private with strong public regulation to ensure benefit for the country)

[parochial boy]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (Public)
Electric Utilities (Public)
Liquor Stores (Private)
Health Care (Public)
Education (Public - ban private schools)
Roads (Public)
Water (Public)
Telecommunications (Public)
Airports (Public)
Seaports (Public)
Banks and financial institutions (mostly should be mutualised/consumer owned)
Oil (Public)
Pharmaceuticals (employee owned co-operatives ideally)
Prisons (Public)
Marine Transport (employee owned co-operatives)
Rail (Public)
Postal Service (Public)
Infrastructure (Public)
Broadcasting (mixed, with a state owned broadcaster)
Natural Resources (mostly Public)

As a rule of thumb, markets that are natural monopolies/where consumer choice is limited by nature should mostly be nationalised; and markets that tend towards consolidation/economies of scale/barriers to entry should mostly be owned by their customers or their employees.

[All Along The Watchtower]

"private" vs "public" is a false dichotomy

[john1565]

Of the Industries below, state whether you think they should be private or state owned.  In brackets is my preference.

Airlines (private)
Natural Gas utilities (Private)
Electric Utilities (Private)
Liquor Stores (private) - Note they are government in most of Canada, a few US states and most   Nordic Countries
Health Care (Public but allow private competition)
Education (public but allow private competition)
Roads (state, private can exist when there is an alternative route)
Water (state)
Telecommunications (Private)
Airports (private)
Seaports (private)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (private)
Pharmaceuticals (private)
Prisons (state)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (private)
Postal Service (private)
Infrastructure (mixed)
Broadcasting (mixed, but predominately private with a public broadcaster)
Natural Resources (Land mixed, extraction and processing private)

So what are your thoughts on these?  Also feel free to add any others you think should be included

Pharmaceuticals, rail, and marine transport should be mixed. I am agree with you in other cases

[IceAgeComing]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (State - all utilities should be)
Electric Utilities (State - as above)
Liquor Stores (Private)
Health Care (State - the NHS is very very good)
Education (State Schools are best schools)
Roads (State - allowing private roads with they meet certain conditions provided that the state can take them over with no compensation if the company fails)
Water (State - utilities clause but also its a natural monopoly)
Telecommunications (State should manage infrastructure and perhaps act as a supplier with private competition, with a separate regulator managing spectrum)
Airports (I'm inclined to say State since I see them as being comparable to the railway network or the road network but I'm not an expert)
Seaports (as above)
Banks and financial institutions (there should be a state bank available to provide basic services with highly regulated private options available)
Oil (state; profits retained in long term savings fund to ensure that its there long term and helps to fund the shift towards renewable energy)
Pharmaceuticals (private although the state should natural be there to provide research funding)
Prisons (state - private prisons are a sham and cost more public money than state fan facilities)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (State - the failure of rail privatisation in the UK demonstrates the folly of privatisation)
Postal Service (State - although naturally private couriers should still be allowed, there needs to be a state ran postal service that serves everyone)
Infrastructure (very broad area (what isn't 'infrastructure'?) but public if you mean what is being talked about in the US)
Broadcasting (Mixed; strong, well funded public broadcaster with private competition and a public regulator in charge of spectrum for terrestrial television and radio broadcasts; the BBC is also very very good)
Natural Resources (mostly state ran, I guess?)

I'm also a big fan of workers or consumer co-operatives; and they might be a model to go down for some of the marginal public/private questionable ones and something that I'd encourage as an ownership model anyway.  I'd have a great deal of that sort of thing within state-ran enterprises as well.

[Sirius_]

Airlines (private)
Natural Gas utilities (private)
Electric Utilities (private)
Liquor Stores (private)
Health Care (mixed)
Education (mixed)
Roads (state)
Water (state)
Telecommunications (mixed)
Airports (private)
Seaports (private)
Banks and financial institutions (private)
Oil (private)
Pharmaceuticals (private)
Prisons (state)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (private)
Postal Service (private)
Infrastructure (mixed)
Broadcasting (mixed)
Natural Resources (mixed, private mining)

[mvd10]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (Private)
Electric Utilities (Private)
Liquor Stores (Private)
Health Care (Ideally private, but public probably is preferable to the American system)
Education (Public but allow private competition)
Roads (Public)
Water (Private with regulations)
Telecommunications (Private)
Airports (Private)
Seaports (Private)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (Private)
Pharmaceuticals (Private)
Prisons (Public)
Marine Transport (Private)
Rail (Private)
Postal Service (Private)
Infrastructure (Mixed)
Broadcasting (Private, but would allow 1 public broadcaster)
Natural Resources (Land mixed, extraction and processing private)

Strong antitrust laws are necessary though.

[Mike88]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (Private)
Electric Utilities (Private)
Liquor Stores (Private)  
Health Care (State, but open to State/Private partnerships)
Education (State, but open to State/Private partnerships)
Roads (State)
Water (State)
Telecommunications (Private)
Airports (Private)
Seaports (Private)
Banks and financial institutions (Private)
Oil (private)
Pharmaceuticals (Private)
Prisons (State)
Marine Transport (Private)
Rail (Private)
Postal Service (Private)
Infrastructure (State)
Broadcasting (Private, RTP is a mess)
Natural Resources (Private, but open to State/Private partnerships)

[Mr. Smith]

Airlines (Private)
Natural Gas utilities (Public)
Electric Utilities (Public)
Liquor Stores (Private)
Health Care (Public)
Education (Public but allow private competition)
Roads (Public)
Water (Public)
Telecommunications (Public & Private)
Airports (Public & Private)
Seaports (Public)
Banks and financial institutions (Private & Public)
Oil (Public)
Pharmaceuticals (Public)
Prisons (Public)
Marine Transport (private)
Rail (Public)
Postal Service (Public, with private competition)
Infrastructure (Public)
Broadcasting (Private & Public)
Natural Resources (Private & Public)

[BenBurch]

Military industries should be nationalized, and manufactured here.  I agree with most of the OP, except for roads which should be all state-run, and infrastructure/rail and postal service should by-and-large be nationalized.  Healthcare and mining should be privatized. 

[MasterJedi]

I would not mind nationalizing all utility companies at this point, they keep having massive profits yet complaining about minor things and raising rates. Nationalize them, cut the price in half so we can pay only what's needed to keep them going and not actually be for profit and it would drastically help so many Americans.

[Politician]

All public except Airlines, though private competition should exist in most of these.