The Ownership axis: Public vs Private
This axis asks who should own the big things in an economy, like energy, railways and housing. Should they belong to the public, or to private owners and companies?
14 statements in the test score this axis. Agreeing with some moves you toward Public, with others toward Private.
What the Ownership axis measures
Ownership is about who holds the title. A railway can be run by a government body, by a private firm, or by the workers who run the trains. This axis looks at which of these you prefer for key industries, land and public services.
It is not the same as how much a government taxes or regulates. A country can own very little and still tax heavily, or own a lot and tax lightly. Your score runs from -100 (fully Public) to +100 (fully Private).
Sample statements
These are real statements from the test. Each one is keyed to this axis, in one direction or the other.
“Essential services such as energy and water should be publicly owned.”
“Railways should be owned and run by the government.”
“Competition between private providers delivers better healthcare than a government-run system.”
“Parents should be able to use public education funds to pay for private schools.”
What the Public end means
People at the Public end think some things are too important to be run for profit. Water, power, railways and natural resources serve everyone, so they say these should belong to everyone. If the public owns them, the public can decide how they are run.
This end also includes shared ownership that is not run by the state. Worker co-operatives and community-owned businesses are examples. The common idea is that the people who use or work in something should have a real say in it.
- They tend to see water, power and rail networks as shared assets that should answer to voters.
- They often favor co-operatives and employee-run firms over companies owned by distant investors.
- They worry that chasing profit can lead firms to neglect customers who are costly to serve.
- They usually see resources under the ground as a common inheritance rather than private wealth.
Who sits at the Public end
- Che Guevara-95
- Fidel Castro-95
- Friedrich Engels-95
- Karl Marx-95
- Peter Kropotkin-95
- Rosa Luxemburg-95
What the Private end means
People at the Private end think owners look after their property best. When someone's own money and name are on the line, they have a strong reason to run things well. Private firms also have to win customers, so they tend to improve over time.
They also see private property as a basic protection for ordinary people. If the state owns everything, it holds huge power over your life. Many at this end say a person's home, land and business should be safe from being taken.
- They tend to trust the pressure of competing firms more than a single state provider.
- They often argue that selling state-held businesses can raise money and improve how they are run.
- They usually see secure property rights as the base of a free and stable society.
- They like to see customers able to pick between rival providers of services.
Who sits at the Private end
- Murray Rothbard+95
- Ayn Rand+90
- Ludwig von Mises+90
- Ron Paul+90
- Robert Nozick+85
- Enoch Powell+70
Scores near the middle
A score near zero often means you like a mix. Many people want public ownership for a few basics, such as roads or water, and private firms for most other things. Others judge case by case and ask which model works best for each service. Countries differ a lot here, and most real economies sit somewhere in between.
Common mix-ups
Public ownership means communism. No. Communism is a full system where almost everything is owned in common. Many mixed economies have a public post office, public roads or a public water company and are not communist at all.
Private ownership means no rules. No. Private firms can be owned by individuals and still face laws on safety, pay and pollution. Whether the government should set such rules is a different question, covered by the Markets axis.
This axis is about how much tax people pay. Not directly. It is about who owns things, not who pays for them. A state can fund a service through taxes while private firms deliver it.
How it relates to other axes
Markets: Ownership asks who owns the business. Markets asks how much the government steers prices and competition. Someone can want private firms but heavy rules, or state-owned firms that compete in a free market.
Welfare: Welfare is about taxes and support for people, not about who runs the service. A person can want the state to pay for healthcare while private clinics provide it.
FAQ
Is a high Private score right-wing?
It often lines up with the economic right, but the labels are loose. This axis only measures who you think should own things. Other axes decide the rest of your overall position.
Can I be Public on ownership but Free on markets?
Yes. You might want the state to own the railways while leaving most prices and trade to competition. These axes are scored separately because many people mix them in this way.
Does Public mean the government must run everything?
No. Public ownership can be national, regional or local. Some Public-leaning people prefer co-operatives or community ownership over a central state.
Which statements in the test affect this axis?
Questions on railways, banks, natural resources, energy, housing and private prisons move your Ownership score. Each one asks who should own or run something.
Where do you sit on Ownership?
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