04/01/2005 12:07:16 pm
Private Forces To the Rescue. Sometimes, people seem to believe that only government cares for people. Thus, government should have a monopoly in providing health care, for example. People in general and private companies in particular cannot be relied upon to voluntarily provide a supply for the demand. Now, that view is again contradicted in one of the most hopeful and positive developments in a long time, following the tragic disaster in Southeast Asia. The efforts made by private forces - people, organisations, companies - outweigh that of governments. In Sweden alone, people have now donated some 450 million SEK (about 55 million euro). Guard companies offer to watch over the houses of people that have not yet returned home for free. The staff of travel companies do fantastic rescue work in Thailand. People give away loads of things they believe may be useful and also offer their labour. Many of the best sides of people show up in a disaster. When people get to choose, they often show more solidarity and effciency than any government department.