Privatize Profits, Socialize Losses

The cluster centers on repeated invocations of the idiom 'privatize the profits and socialize the losses' to criticize economic systems where private entities reap gains while the public bears risks and costs. Discussions often reference bailouts, subsidies, or public-private partnerships exemplifying this dynamic.

➡️ Stable 0.6x Politics & Society
2,534
Comments
19
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#2530
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2008
10
2009
10
2010
23
2011
44
2012
32
2013
62
2014
53
2015
81
2016
117
2017
132
2018
110
2019
195
2020
213
2021
216
2022
262
2023
358
2024
222
2025
375
2026
19

Keywords

investopedia.com e.g IF UK USA losses.asp NHS losses socialize profits private socializing private sector gains private property socialized sector

Sample Comments

chii • Mar 8, 2013 • View on HN

yep, privatized profit, but socialized losses.

greenleafjacob • Sep 26, 2018 • View on HN

You mean privatize profits and socialize losses.

tempname2 • Jan 6, 2024 • View on HN

Aka privatize profits, socialize losses.

totetsu • Jan 13, 2026 • View on HN

Because privatized $$$ and public !!!

blackbear_ • Apr 3, 2024 • View on HN

Privatize the profits and socialize the losses, here we go again.

ftxbro • Sep 7, 2023 • View on HN

is this what they mean by privatizing profits and socializing losses

aaomidi • Apr 28, 2020 • View on HN

And yet again, privatized profits, socialized losses.

BobbyTables2 • Jul 27, 2024 • View on HN

Must be nice to privatize the profits and socialize the losses!

doingmyting • May 29, 2021 • View on HN

Just another case of privatizing gains and socializing losses. A tale as old as America itself.

thephyber • Jul 22, 2020 • View on HN

Sounds like privatizing the gains and socializing the losses to me.