Open AccessDrinking in Private: A Public Concern
Author(s) -
Ryan McCarville
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
political science undergraduate review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2562-1289
pISSN - 2562-1270
DOI - 10.29173/psur64
Subject(s) - austerity , government (linguistics) , distribution (mathematics) , corporation , consumption (sociology) , public economics , economics , business , product (mathematics) , market economy , marketing , political science , finance , sociology , law , mathematical analysis , social science , philosophy , linguistics , geometry , mathematics , politics
The privatization of the liquor distribution system in Alberta was undertaken by a Conservative government motivated by achieving fiscal austerity, along with greater consumer benefit, both in cost and selection. The privatization of this Crown corporation was rationalized as an action that, above all else, held the individual’s best interest in mind. I argue that, in fact, this decision created the opposite effect. By analyzing the neoliberal governing paradigm and the structures created with New Public Management (NPM), this paper will outline the forces driving privatization of Crown corporations. I will advocate for a return to a public system of distribution by classifying alcohol as a unique product in the consumer market. Finally, I will analyze the indirect costs associated with alcohol consumption by comparing public and private markets across Canada. Viewing alcohol distribution in a holistic lens will quell the notion that the market mechanism is capable of managing liquor distribution, and highlight the mischaracterizations and flaws in the Progressive Conservative government’s 1993 decision.