Forwarded from Nestor

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hah!

Pleasee forward this to the list, Louis.

When the drive towards privatization of public services in Argentina was
peaking, and after it took place, I began to deliver the following easy
lesson.

Scene: Buenos Aires, the 90s. A long queue at a bank, supermarket, bus stop,
privatized public utility counter, and so on. Sour and patient faces. People
waiting. Another possible scene: aboard an Aerolíneas Argentinas plane where
cabin service is a torture, or at an airport where one has learnt that Flight
NNNNN has been cancelled, "please passengers of Aerolíneas Argentinas (or
Austral, or LAPA [if they do not crash down, NMG])approach the counter for
arrangements"

SOME VICTIM (more often than not, "for" privatization): Oh, God, this is a
nightmare, this queue does not move at all (a correct observation ALWAYS;
where appropiate substitute "this bus is not coming yet", or similars)

ME: Ah, they should privatize them.

SOME VICTIM: But they are private already!

ME: Do you see the point now? Service is equally lousy, but at least they are
expensive, they are unsafe, you have less rights, and revenues leave the
country!

SOME VICTIM (in astonished awe): ???????? [substitute "I had not though of
this" at least half the times]

Lic. Néstor M. Gorojovsky
Dirección de Estadísticas del Sector Primario
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos
Argentina

Tel.: (0541) 349-9728


Louis Proyect
Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org/