Changes

'''Nationalization''' means the permanent takeover of a private business by the government. Sometimes it is voluntary with full payment to the previous owners, and sometimes it is involuntary with no payment or worthless bonds.

'''Nationalization''' means the permanent takeover of a private business by the government. Sometimes it is voluntary with full payment to the previous owners, and sometimes it is involuntary with no payment or worthless bonds.

[[Socialist]] governments nationalized industry in Britain, France and other countries after World War II.  In most cases they have been privatized, that is returned to private ownership.  

[[Socialist]] governments nationalized industry in [[Great Britain]], [[France]] and other countries after [[World War II]].  In most cases they have subsequently been privatized, that is returned to private ownership.

 

Temporary seizures of business interests during an emergency--such as turning a shopping mall into a temporary shelter--is not usually considered nationalization.

==History==

==History==

After World War II socialist governments came to power in several countries and set about nationalizing heavy industry, especially coal. The goal was not efficiency but to put the union leaders (who had a loud voice in socialist parties) in a position to dictate terms for the benefit of the workers, rather than the nation as a whole.  In no case were the workers put in control, though [[Tito]] talked of that in Yugoslavia.

After World War II socialist governments came to power in several countries and set about nationalizing heavy industry, especially coal. The goal was not efficiency but to put the union leaders (who had a loud voice in socialist parties) in a position to dictate terms for the benefit of the workers, rather than the nation as a whole.  In no case were the workers put in control, though [[Tito]] talked of that in [[Yugoslavia]].

After World War II many Europeans wanted strong state action to insure economic development since they blamed the timidity and conservatism of private capital for the economic dislocations of the 1930s. Nationalization in Britain, concerted economic planning in France, and a low-key economic management in Germany all grew out of this same impulse. Many of the smaller nations also utilized central economic planning in some form. The common features of all the planning systems were an increase in cooperation between government and the private sector, and the guiding of the economy along selected growth lines. Economic planning became the province of the technocrats rather than of the political <ref> Sima Lieberman, "The Ideological Foundations of Western European Planning" ''Journal of European Economic History'' 1981 10(2): 343-371. </ref>

After World War II many Europeans wanted strong state action to insure economic development since they blamed the timidity and conservatism of private capital for the economic dislocations of the 1930s. Nationalization in Britain, concerted economic planning in France, and a low-key economic management in Germany all grew out of this same impulse. Many of the smaller nations also utilized central economic planning in some form. The common features of all the planning systems were an increase in cooperation between government and the private sector, and the guiding of the economy along selected growth lines. Economic planning became the province of the technocrats rather than of the political <ref> Sima Lieberman, "The Ideological Foundations of Western European Planning" ''Journal of European Economic History'' 1981 10(2): 343-371. </ref>