Landlords aren’t bad because they treat their tenants poorly, they’re bad because they make a living by monetizing a basic human necessity. It’s like saying there are no good billionaires, or all cops are bastards. Of course there are landlords who treat their tenants well, billionaires who donate a lot of money, cops who actually want to serve and protect, but saying they’re all bad is really saying they are perpetuating a broken system. Landlords are bad because you shouldn’t have to pay a monthly bill to have somewhere to sleep. Billionaires are bad because you can’t make that much money without exploiting the working class. Cops are bad because their complicit in abusing power.
Why are landlords worse than, say, water utility companies? They also monetize basic human necessities.
I think the reality is that basic necessities are going to be monetized. People are going to own land and houses, and they’re going to try to monetize them when they own them. Even people who are owner-occupants often make decisions based on increasing the value of their homes, and that makes it harder for the next person to be able to buy a house.
I don’t think privatized water utility companies are any better than landlords. They’re both symptoms of the same broken system. Utilities should really be government services, paid for by taxes. When water treatment is privatized, their business is no longer providing clean water, it’s making money. They just choose to make their money by throttling people’s access to clean water
Landlords aren’t bad because they treat their tenants poorly, they’re bad because they make a living by monetizing a basic human necessity. It’s like saying there are no good billionaires, or all cops are bastards. Of course there are landlords who treat their tenants well, billionaires who donate a lot of money, cops who actually want to serve and protect, but saying they’re all bad is really saying they are perpetuating a broken system. Landlords are bad because you shouldn’t have to pay a monthly bill to have somewhere to sleep. Billionaires are bad because you can’t make that much money without exploiting the working class. Cops are bad because their complicit in abusing power.
There’s a reason “rent seeing behaviour” is a derogatory term.
Why are landlords worse than, say, water utility companies? They also monetize basic human necessities.
I think the reality is that basic necessities are going to be monetized. People are going to own land and houses, and they’re going to try to monetize them when they own them. Even people who are owner-occupants often make decisions based on increasing the value of their homes, and that makes it harder for the next person to be able to buy a house.
I don’t think privatized water utility companies are any better than landlords. They’re both symptoms of the same broken system. Utilities should really be government services, paid for by taxes. When water treatment is privatized, their business is no longer providing clean water, it’s making money. They just choose to make their money by throttling people’s access to clean water