Bringing Efficiency to the Third World Through Private Provision of Public Services

Publication Date: November 1989

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Gabriel Roth

Research Area: Economics

Keywords: Trade and foreign aid

Type: Report

Abstract:

Governments, especially in poor, less developed countries, understandably desire to see their people’s living standards raised quickly. In the past, these governments have felt that direct state responsibility for the provision of various goods and services was the best means to this end. Yet decades of experience, in both developed and developing countries, show that this typically leads to poor quality goods and services, huge financial losses and government debts, corruption of government officials, and declining living
standards.