Democracy and regulation : how the public can govern essential services
- London : Pluto Press, 2003
- 233 p.
Secrecy, democracy and regulation Regulating in public Open information versus secrevy Who is the public? Consultation is not participation Employees, service quality and democarcy Failings of the american system Competition as substitute for regulation? Britain to California Crisis in California: electricity competition comes to america Manipulation and monopoly abuse are impossible to prevent Utility services are different Deregulation creates new rules and bureaucracies The problem of volativity and new inefficiencies The unioon worker, service quality and deregulation Price discrimination Democratic contro, of deregulation Re-regulation is not deregulation Recent history Principles Restructuring the industry Market power Market segmentation Competition for domestic customers Telephones: the new marketplace is raising prices The open regulatory process The process Principles The regulators Social pricing Affordability programs Consumer protecion Education programs Efficiency and weatherization programs Benefits Issues that are publicly decided Service quality, safety, prices and employment Choice of utility ownership form Universal service, including extension of service Other regulatory agencies Choice of technology An alternative: democratic negotiations The filing Intervenion Mediation Discovery An energy conservation case Results of negoations Be there: a guide to public participation Aim high Become informed Demand participation Forge coalitions A history of democratic utility regulation in the US Persist The early years 1880-1907 Direct current Alternative current Public versus private ownership 1907-1929 Regulation of IOUs Development of holding companies 1930-1970 Collapse of insull's empire Federal action Public utulity holding company act Federal power act 1980-2002 Emerging deregulation Regulating the multinational utility United States Brazil Bolivia Democracy: a value in itself Failed experiments in the UK and the US The United Kingdom The United States maintenance and job cutbacks Roller-coaster prices Few benefits for domestic consumers Much of the electricity debacle was predictable The democratic reaction The biggest failures: California and enron California Enron's rise and fall The build-up Creative accounting The downfall The money trail The aftermath Enron's effect on electricity deregulation International democracy - developing and developed countries International ideology and the real interests behind it Developing countries South Africa Brazil Other nations Response of the international bankers Other developed countries Conclusion Secrevy versus democracy The case againts democracy Value of democratic regulation: it is democratic Appendix 1: The american rate base formula determining utility prices is identical to britains RPI-X formula Appendix 2: 220 C. M. R. 12.00 standards of conduct for distribution companies and their affiliates
Teoria Politica Democracia Politica Publica Polticas Sociais