PoliticsAugust 21, 2026

marketisation

MAR-ki-ti-ZAY-shun

Definition

The process of moving a service or sector, such as public water management, from government control or public utility status into a competitive, profit-driven commercial system.

Etymology

Derived from the English 'market' and the suffix '-isation', which denotes a process of changing state. The term emerged in the late 20th century to describe the broader trend of applying market-based mechanisms to public goods.

In the news

The article uses the term to critique the 2004 shift in Australian water management, arguing that treating a natural resource as a market commodity led to price spikes and harmed farmers.

A valuable lesson in why religion and politics don’t mix

Read the full article ↗

SMH.com.au

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