Italy's great art treasures are owned and managed by the government. However, Italy's cultural institutions are in trouble because of inadequate government funding. (The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, one of the world's greatest museums, did not have enough cash to provide paper towels in the bathrooms.) In response, in 2002 the government set up a new state agency whose purpose was to value Italy's cultural treasures and decide what could be sold or leased to private firms [Economist, November 28, 2002, p. 55]. Is it appropriate for a nation to privatize its museums? Base your answer on the criteria for public versus private production discussed in the chapter.