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Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.02 20:29:00 -
[1]
For the UK there is a long way to go before it gets as bad as it did in the late 1960's and 1970's:-
Unions were too powerfull and ran by commie sympathisers. 1979 was particulary harsh with lots of strikes causing government services not being delivered.
There are rumours that if Labour won the electrion in 1979 the army would take over in a coup.
Harold Wilson in the late '60's was under intense pressure from the USA to commit British troops to Vietnam. He had to do a balancing act to try and keep USA sweet so USA banks would not walk out on Britian which would mean UK could not fund social services like hospitals. Labour MP's at the time did not appreciate Wilsons dilema and caused him much trouble.
When Thatcher got into power she did chainsaw surgery to the British economy and manufacturing. But there was so much dead wood the manufacturing house fell down causing much social decline in industry heartlands.
Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.03 01:13:00 -
[2]
Edited by: Iasius on 03/07/2009 01:14:35 Margaret Thatcher said once 'there is no such thing as soceity'. Which bites but it is true. I am 34 and when i was a kid my mates parents used to leave their front doors open. We used to run around and go into our mates houses and if we showed some courtesy we were welcome. Nowadays most neighbours just done talk to each other.
The BBC did a social experiment once. They got someone to pretend to collapse in a village and in a city. In the village the locals responded immediatley and offered to help the 'collapsed' person. But in the city the faux collapsed person was ignored. The moral is as most of us live in large urban sprawls we find it hard to associate in a genuine way with such a large number of people. Sociologists say that an urban area of up to 20,000 people is the most we can handle in feeling truely a part of.
And to that end to really create heartfelt societies we should have a 'campus' style of living. Have communities that have small local shops (France supports shops in rural towns and villages). Schools, hospitals. And similar type amenities that can be walked to, or by bus or a short drive away. Legislate to have the soulless shopping on the outskirts of cities shut down.
Yes services could become more expensive. But people really need to start thinking in terms of 'social capital'. Money is important as its an enabler to a better lifestyle. But its a narcissistic lifestyle if its the new opium for the masses - unadulterated consumerism.
I am liberal about many things. But i beleive in such things as national service. The boom of financial prosperity has given people a false sense of entitlement. There should be an ethos that 'citizenship' should be earned and not given. Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.03 16:02:00 -
[3]
Edited by: Iasius on 03/07/2009 16:04:52 A lot of people in USA during 1980's thought it was in permanent decline with the asscent of Japan and its economic might. But the IT\internet revolution created new prosperity for USA during from the 1990's.
IMO USA will always be a superpower but there is a growing schism between the rich. A lot who have made their money from technology start ups. Whereas the middle classes are being squeezed. Interesting report here: American Dream And Middle Class In Jeopardy.
What i found alarming, correct me if i am wrong, was what i perceived a general indifferene by Americans to the aftermatch in New Oreleans because of hurricane Katrina. FEMA was incompetant. And there was widespread corruption in the allocation of repair contracts to firms that had political contacts.
For infostructure management - stuff like rail, power, utillities i would say France is best and UK\USA worse. USA should have a comprehensive rail network. But 'big oil' nerfs it. Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.03 16:14:00 -
[4]
Theres is a phrase in the UK that goes like this: 'Only the middle classes really pay taxes, the poor don't and the rich get accountants to cook the books'. Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.03 19:19:00 -
[5]
Its a shame Romania cant get a handle on its corruption. If it could it would be integrated into the EU in a few years and be given billions of euros in grants.
Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.03 20:48:00 -
[6]
What is bewildering to Europeans is that the USA head of state - president can have great difficulty getting legislation through if his respective party does not have majorities in congress and the senate. But that is where the presidential veto comes in.
In the UK the prime minister can wield great power with the majority in the commons.
And parliment used to have such a great tradition of MP's in the long chamber going hammer and tongs at each other with fiery debate. Which is what the public wants - politics with guts and conviction. All these new circular debating chambers are as exciting to watch as watching paint dry.
But with the advent of Tony Blair he diluted the power of parliament as a forum of debate by releasing policy initiatives through the tabloid media. And he reduced prime ministers question time from once to twice a week.
Big problem with modern western politics is that the politicians and the journalists are trapped in their own vanity theatre and disconnected from main street. They wine and dine together in their own bubble of political incest. Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
Iasius
The Scope
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Posted - 2009.07.04 16:19:00 -
[7]
Problem with poor people is that they are often very dysfunctional: Lack motivation and a desire to better themselves. Sort of goes with being bottom of the pile and often trapped in crime and drugs.
There is an idea that some people have mentioned: universal tax credits. That is rather the local government decide spending percentage for various services its you that decides if you want more say healthcare options than education options. Or if your a parent in a poor area with bad schools you could spend most of your tax credits getting the children into better schools.
The premise being citizens feel more empowered from the state. Though this could lead to some right chaos. But the general concept is good i think. Please resize image to a maximum of 400 x 120, not exceeding 24000 bytes. If you would like further details please mail [email protected] ~Saint |
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