To place something under government control or to make it part of the government system.
Composed of 'government' plus the suffix '-alize' (to make or cause to become). This verb form emerged in the 19th century as governments expanded their reach into more sectors.
When industries get 'governmentalized' (like railways in many countries), it's a power shift—from private owners to public control—and it happens all the time in history without people always noticing the vocabulary change.
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