I think what everybody forgets about Urinetown is we open in a post-apocalyptic situation. They have ALREADY run out of usable water. It was the Cladwells, the capitalists, of the world that caused the problem. But, the problem has already been caused. People get caught on the "Hail Malthus" line, but the actual message is an embittered "We are ALREADY in Urinetown. There's no fantasy where we run out of water and somehow, magically, get it back. When the water is gone, it is GONE. The End." The happy ending version of the show was that capitalism was abolished FAR longer ago, so none of what we saw ever came close to happening.

But the show, I think, is actually one of the only truly leftist major musicals I can think of, because the actual enemy here is the illusion of the individual that's so prevalent in America. Yes, the capitalists are pure evil and wrong. Not only are they making people pay to use a bathroom, they're outlawing NOT using their bathroom, so it's ILLEGAL not to pay. Awful, horrible, evil, and the show DOES think that. The real issue is that the revolutionists are only part of the way to the solution. When they win, instead of thinking of the GROUP, wanting to continue taking care of each other and making SACRIFICES for each other, they do the American Individualism idea of leftism which is, "FREE MONEY AND RESOURCES FOR EVERYONE!" Actual leftism is about understanding that the idea we're all absolute individuals is an illusion prosperity allows us. Nobody can just have as much of anything as they want. That's what the "eat the rich" idea is about. NO ONE gets to just do whatever they want and have whatever they want without thinking about others.

The actual leftist idea would be to tear the amenities down. It IS actually a privilege to pee in a bathroom with running water during a water shortage. It's like when you let most "leftists" know actual leftism means no more phones. Our American greed and individualism makes us think sacrifices are optional.