Steady chaps.
Generalizing about small clubs is a bit dangerous, as some come from the very well founded mutual support into club status, which I would support without being a member, to ones that have evolved into entities which hardly can be described as clubs at all, and all things in between.
Get to specifics and the critic takes on a more serious roll. Two things apply to clubs though. You can only change thing directly by being a member with a vote. Clubs that become too unbalanced loose active support, their chief chance to regain balance is to look at what is said about them, constructively, by potential members who do not join. It is not constructive if a majority of potential members not joining is greater than those joined. Restricting spares availability might be a good policy for the club finances since it boosts membership to those looking for an easy life. Its always easier to ignore unpleasant facts and situations.
Reality is the more parts made in an order, generally the cheaper they are. I am not convinced by the protectionist argument. Even if it was so then a simple solution is investors, individual or collectively, in a new part under construction obtain it at market rate and the subsequent price to anyone else is 10% higher. Protection achieved, membership happy and sales high. However I know that a lot of these club stalwarts would never put their money where their mouth is and are happy for the club funds to foot the risk rather than themselves. Would our altruistic club think thus, no each would shoulder his share of the burden to the betterment of all, like investing in helping Bond spares when not even a Bond enthusiast....Yeah, that worked out well. Who did get the benefit of that cash injection? Much like a pure free market, its a very honest system and it is rather difficult to hide in a pure club or a free market. Your either in pulling or your out. Seniority and such counts for very little, the respect comes from the knowledge and experience being given to the group. Admittedly that should be in return for the active participation of younger more energized newer members. That is one area there is a serious issue though. Not enough active skilled new members. Its in imperfect world.
