This book provides an in-depth and yet accessible treatise on the implications of Globalisation as represented by the impact of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on public services. Rikowski's appraisal exposes the profit motive of the WTO to enable corporations to operate public services. Traditional state-run services are generally run at cost, rather than for a profit margin, thus ensuring public funds benefit the public themselves. This process reflects a social ethic where resources are distributed for the benefit of society as a whole. However, the agreements described by Rikowski could see these services increasingly owned or managed by private corporations whose aims are primarily for profit rather than social justice.
The generation of profit from schools, hospitals or libraries clearly represents a shift in the ethics of public services, the possible implications for corporate provision could include lower quality services, reduced range of services for the public and poorly resourced staffing due to retention of funds as profit.
The ongoing process of privatisation in public services is clearly evident in the UK under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), e.g. City Academies replacing secondary schools, privately run hospitals and business involvement in library service provision (a matter discussed at various points in Rikowski's book).
Rikowski indicates how the text will be informed by an `Open Marxist theoretical analysis of value', particularly illustrating how in the modern world, intellectual labour is central to our economic system and how the WTO is attempting to transform intellectual property and public services into international tradable commodities.
Part 2 explores The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Rikowski describes how this WTO agreement is likely to have serious implications for public services within WTO member states, including health, education and libraries, illustrating how the agreement will liberalise (i.e. open up) government funded services to private sector competition.
In part 3, Rikowski introduces the TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights), "about transforming information, knowledge and ideas into intellectual property rights which can then be traded on the global market in the form of international tradable commodities" (p.187). Further chapters consider how notions of intellectual property are at odds with issues such as the free flow of information and access to information. For Rikowski the `balance in copyright' defined in TRIPS disproportionately favours the protection of intellectual property and business interests, rather than the concerns of the wider community.
The book is very ambitious and attempts to provide us with `the big picture' on the forces at work on the international scene that are driving the corporate takeover of public services. Rikowski also suggests practical ways that Librarians, Information Professionals and other interested individuals can get involved in the debate, adopt a critical perspective on the issues and lobby for appraisal of the privatisation agenda.
This is an essential book for anyone interested in the privatisation of libraries or the public sector in general.
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