Subscribe now

It might initially seem like the state is necessary to protect certain kinds of natural resources, but how can we expect a government that mismanages practically everything to maintain a complex ecosystem? We can observe from the history of state-managed ecology projects that the government is far better at destroying than preserving. Besides, private parks already exist in various forms. From small private campsites to massive amusement parks (hey, they call them parks for a reason!), we can see that private ownership of land and the freedom to use it in entrepreneurial ways can surely allow for the development of the equivalent of any “government” park. Some parks, like Bryant Park in New York City, will be open to the public and run by private foundations, funded by donations from individuals and businesses. Some will be attached to businesses to encourage people to become customers of that business and to serve the community. Some will have subscription services or entry fees like a country club. The state is simply not necessary to ensure that parks stay solvent and operational.

Subscribe now

Even if all roads were privatized, not all roads would be toll roads. Your neighborhood probably would rather not operate that kind of system even if it were a gated community. Businesses desire people to frequent their establishments and therefore may invest in the road system around them in order to make it more appealing to go there. But ultimately, it is up to entrepreneurs to experiment and find ways to serve their road-going customers most effectively.

We could turn this question and ask if government-run road operations are efficient, safe, and cost-effective? Our experience in the United States, at least, suggests that such qualities are near non-existent on government roads. Think about it: if any business had to answer for nearly 40,000 people per year dying while using their goods or services, they’d probably be out of business in two seconds flat. Yet that is the reality of government roads. It’s high time to get rid of road socialism.

Subscribe now

While this question may at first seem like a trump card against the idea of privatization in general, it is readily answerable from both a theoretical and historical point of view. Simply put, roads would be produced both by companies and individuals. Their operations would be funded by tolls (for highways), subscription fees (for local roads), and neighborhood dues (for streets like those in front of your house). Throughout history, roads have been built privately and even continue to be built this way today. Most roads are not actually produced by the state but by private companies as contractors. The libertarian argument is to suggest that this should be expanded even further and not have the state involved in the first place.