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Big Society (We're In It Together)?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Politics & Debate
When I first heard about the Cameron manifesto pledge I thought I was the only person who saw the whole "Big Society" concept and devolving responsibility but also as unworkable given the real public interest...

I might not be the only one though. I particulalrly like one commentator analysis of the "self service check out" analogy being about externalising cost without reducing the customers' bill...

What do you think?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't know... I think it's a good idea to some very very very small degree. Most would want to be involved, but not in terms of the finances.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm still not sure what the meat of these proposals are. I think any move towards American system of schools where parents have huge decision making responsibility, and police chiefs are political figures rather than public servants could be disastrous. I don't know how far down that road these policies go. I think particularly on schools, there is a danger of groups with an agenda hijacking such a system to suit their goals. Just look at the way evangelical groups have hijacked school boards in America, and then tried to influence what teachers are teaching on issues like evolution and sex education. And perhaps a slightly less obvious danger is that it would likely become dominated by the middle classes, with the time and money to get involved in this sort of thing. This is already frequently the case on school boards at the moment. I don't suppose it would worry the Tories too much though.

    I think in principle, the idea of giving more power to the people sounds reasonable. I think in reality, the vast majority of people would like such decisions to be made by the people with the experience and training to do so.

    This whole academy system has been supposedly about empowering parents, and increasing parental choice. Yet in my town, a new academy opened to huge protests from the vast majority of parents, and they closed 3 schools in order to open 1 big one. So there's your choice.

    Anyway, funny how "there's no such thing as society" when the Tories want to free up the economy to make as much money for them and their friends as possible, and "we're all in this together" when they want the rest of society to give the country a shot in the arm, isn't it?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nice enough idea, but does it really need this name? This kind of cuddly-wuddly bollocks branding is typical from Call Me Dave and his cronies.

    Perhaps he'd be taken more seriously if he wasn't so bloody dishonest about what he intends to do about the deficit.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So what would you do SG?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If we lived in a utopia where everyone had some measure of intelligence then fine. But we don't, most people are, for the best part moronic.
    The idea of the general public being allowed to set policy of any kind frightens me. At the moment school staff and senior police officers are selected on merit by trained professionals. Yes, it might nt be perfect but at least they're picked objectively and not on the basis of how popular they might be.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    it sounds like a good idea in principal but then that is what they are trying to do because they want to win the election, they don't really say how it would work or how it would make things better.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whowhere wrote: »
    If we lived in a utopia where everyone had some measure of intelligence then fine. But we don't, most people are, for the best part moronic.

    Snort, so true!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cameron wants us all to be part of running the country as long as it doesn't include Labour of LibDem MPs? :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lol, Marcus Brigstocke on HIGNFY: "They're going to have people running things. I don't want people running things." :D
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We're in all together is bollox.
    What it boils down to is ...if we get in power we're doing fuck all for any of you ...your on your own.
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