The basic supply of the population with water, energy, transport and other essential goods is a central task of the state and society. These goods serve the common good and are indispensable for functioning coexistence in a community. If these vital resources fall into private hands, there is a risk that short-term profit maximizationinstead of the common good. Privatized care can lead to prices rising, security of supply being endangered and social differences being increased. It is therefore necessary to expressly protect these infrastructure areas from comprehensive privatization. They must be viewed as a public good that all people independent ofmust be accessible to your financial situation. The social responsibility is to ensure that these vital goods are made available in a permanent, affordable and high-quality manner, without private investors just looking at returns and losing sight of the needs of the community.
Democratic control over central infrastructure
In order for the supply of vital goods to serve the common good, democratic control is essential. Decisions on the expansion, prices, quality and security of the infrastructure should not only be determined by market mechanisms and private companies. Rather, the population must be actively involved in the decision-making processes, for example through elected onescommittees, public hearings or co-determination opportunities. Public institutions, such as local or state authorities, must play a clear role in the management and monitoring of the supply. Transparency is a central principle in order to ensure the trust of citizens and to ensure the responsibility of the decision-makers. This is the only way to preventShort-term financial interests impair the long-term security of supply and that decisions are made in the dark without adequately considering the needs of the community.
preservation of social heritage
Many public institutions and infrastructures have emerged through collective efforts and represent a common social heritage. Water works, transport networks, energy systems or educational institutions were built up through taxpayers’ money, joint planning and social commitment. This heritage is a basis for social stabilitycohesion and sustainable development. It is therefore justified to leave these goods in the hands of citizens in order to make them permanently accessible and usable. The protection of social heritage also means that future generations can benefit from investments without short-term profit interests jeopardizing these public values. It’s about responsibilityfor the common good and to continue the institutions in the spirit of the community.
Preventing substance consumption of public infrastructure
The preservation and sustainable use of public infrastructure is a basic requirement for long-term security of supply. When infrastructure networks and facilities are handed out to private individuals, there is a risk that short-term gains will be made at the expense of the use of the substance. Maintenance, modernization and security could be neglected to save costsor maximize profits. This leads to a substance consumption that impairs the performance and reliability of the networks. Therefore, it is important to keep these structures in public hands and to invest in a targeted manner in order to maintain their functionality. Only in this way can sustainable supply, security and ecological responsibility be guaranteed in the long term, withoutthat short-term profit interests destroy the substance of the infrastructure.
Social Justice and Access Guarantee
Goods such as water, energy, education or mobility are the cornerstones of a just society. They must be organized in such a way that all people, regardless of their financial situation or their social status, have equal access. The pure market logic based on supply and demand often leads to certain population groups being marginalized or disadvantagedbecome. Therefore, it is necessary to design the organization of the commons in such a way that social justice and equal opportunities are preserved. This means securing public access, designing tariffs in a socially acceptable manner and reducing barriers. Only in this way can the company ensure that no one from access to basicresources is excluded.
Enable local and regional control
Public resources should be controlled as decentralized as possible in order to be able to better take local needs into account. Communities and regions have specific knowledge about the social, ecological and cultural conditions of their regions. If you can take responsibility for the design and management of the infrastructure, the resilience andadaptability of the supply systems. Local control promotes citizen participation, strengthens democratic co-determination and enables sustainable development that is tailored to the specific needs of the population. In addition, it can be prevented that large corporations or remote profit interests control the infrastructure according to their own specifications, whichAcceptance and effectiveness of supply increased.
Long-term common good before short-term profit logic
The management of public goods should be primarily focused on the long-term well-being of society. Sustainability, ecological responsibility and stability are principles that can only be maintained in an organization that remains in the hands of and controlled by the community. If infrastructure and basic goods remain in public hands, they canbe designed to serve future generations rather than maximizing short-term gains for investors. Long-term planning, investments in maintenance and innovation, and environmental protection are better guaranteed in this context. The occurrence of the common good means security of supply, environmental compatibility and social justice in theto focus on a stable and sustainable society.
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