I spent only two weeks in a A broken Englandwhich unfortunately is a fitting description for a country that has fallen from its former glory. Its people are funny, clever, creative, intelligent, crazy and intellectual, a part of society that has changed constantly in the last millennium, its royal heritage bringing cultures from all over the world. It is a green and pleasant land, beautiful in spring and summer, and not so bad in autumn.
Yet the once great nation is now dealing with continuing losses. The state of Britain’s roads, services and public services shows the English talent for messing with little planning or organisation, spreading detail in the hope that things will get done – and other parts of Britain are worse. There is a strong feeling that the public sector is not responsible for anything. There is no sense of service and pushback from the public.
Thirty years ago in China, someone commented on the condition of the roads, the poor mobile network, the time it took to get anywhere and how difficult it was to see a doctor. That is not true in China now, but it is often the case in England. I have chosen the UK, but many developed economies also suffer from poor conditions where advanced infrastructure is dated and not maintained.
Yet looking at most car parks, most Brits are still not travel-friendly, if not cash-rich. The welfare system takes care of that. According to former Labor government minister Alan Milburn, more is spent by the government on the benefits of young people than on helping them find work. Even he seems to think that there is great prosperity. Every young man must fight for a place in the world. They have no rights and profits quench their hunger for success.
As the 1960s moved toward a more caring society, some predicted the malaise that would ensue. In 1961, US president John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”. Welfare rights remove those feelings, especially as they expand to reach more people. Of course, “free money” helps governments get elected. Welfare has made Britain a fair society that feeds on public debt. How long can the public fund take the load?
Don’t get me wrong, I favor welfare where it is needed for the young, the elderly, the sick and the disabled. That is our contribution as humans. I also support regulation – but good regulation. Overregulation can potentially favor certain lobby groups or a fashionable but unscientific theory.
