Talk:privatization

'Privatization' of the NHS

I will try and make this post as unpolitical as possible. In the UK, there's a lot of talk about privatization of the NHS (which is the National Health Service). However, it doesn't fit our definition (the transfer of a company or organization from government to private ownership and control). What's actually happening is contracts to provide services are being awarded to the private sector.

The relevant question is, is this a new definition of privatization or just a misunderstanding of the first (and only) definition? I tend to say it's a mistake rather than a new usage. Especially since it's apparently only used about the NHS in the UK. I literally cannot think of even one example of this definition other than in relation to the NHS. Comments? Renard Migrant (talk) 15:07, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

People also talk about the privatization of the US military (the US military sometimes hires "security contractors" and mercenaries, as well as cleaners, cooks, and other people, rather than using its own soldiers as soldiers, cleaners, cooks, etc). It seems that "privatization" doesn't have to mean transferring formal control of a company, but can refer to re-assigning or sub-contracting some of that company's functions to the private sector. I'm not sure if this means we need to add a separate sense, or just revise the existing sense. - -sche (discuss) 15:34, 2 April 2015 (UTC)