this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2023
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It's a useful (though non-essential) service that leans toward a natural monopoly. Nationalisation or heavy regulation are the solutions to this.
Under regulation, profits flow to shareholders. Under nationalisation, they flow to treasury. Practicality of nationalisation in the current climate aside, I know which I'd prefer.
No, just let it die. Please don't force the rest of us to pay for this.
It's a profitable service, like the post office was before they were sabotaged with pension requirements. Users would still be the ones paying, but a greater portion of the profits could go to the workers, and the remainder would go to public projects and other government expenses. That would be preferable to the services being used to continue drawing wealth and power from the working classes to the already wealthy and powerful. The only time it might end up subsidized is if it had to be commandeered for a public use purpose like delivery of food and living essentials during a disease outbreak.
In what way is it a natural monopoly?
Economies of agglomeration, similar to Amazon. Having one app to order everything from is very convenient and the average person prefers that.
If they nationalize Uber before Amtrak, I'll blow a gasket