私有化——把政府的资产或职能转让给私营部门——是一种正在全世界迅速发展的现象。在美国,数千个城市中的私营企业提供着急救服务、垃圾收集、街道维修、档案保管以及其他许多服务事业。某些城市(如亚利桑纳州的菲尼克斯城)甚至还有私营救火会。加利福尼亚州勒米拉达地方(人口为4万)的私有化进行得如此之快,以致该城市雇用的55个私人承 Privatization - the transfer of government assets or functions to the private sector - is a rapidly evolving phenomenon around the world. In the United States, private companies in thousands of cities provide emergency services, refuse collection, street maintenance, archival custody, and many other services. Some cities (like Phoenix, Arizona) even have private firefighting groups. The privatization of the Place Lemorada, California, with a population of 40,000, proceeded so quickly that the 55 private-sector undertakings employed in the city