{"id":6577,"date":"2019-09-09T07:40:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T07:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progressiveeconomyforum.com\/development\/?p=6577"},"modified":"2019-09-09T09:49:37","modified_gmt":"2019-09-09T09:49:37","slug":"rethinking-britain-how-to-build-a-better-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressiveeconomyforum.com\/development\/blog\/rethinking-britain-how-to-build-a-better-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Rethinking Britain – How to build a better future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Of the nineteen UK governments since the Second World War, only two have torn up the rule book and tried to build a better future, instead of simply recycling the tired slogans and policies of the past. The two governments that did try radical change \u2013 not always successfully \u2013 were those of Clement Attlee in 1945 and Margaret Thatcher in 1979.  We are therefore well overdue for another major policy rethink, aimed at solving the problems we have now \u2013 largely as a consequence of Thatcher\u2019s legacy \u2013 rather than endlessly trying to reignite the ideological battles of the past. That\u2019s why we concluded it was high time for Rethinking Britain: Policy Ideas for the Many<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rethinking Britain<\/em> is not only for<\/em> the many \u2013 it\u2019s also written by<\/em> the many. As a result, it doesn\u2019t set out the vision of one or two people, but instead offers the assessment of a wide range of experts, who are working in or studying the areas we cover. We not only set out the problems and suggest policy solutions to address them. Our aim is to help improve life for people living in today\u2019s Britain. Between each set of policy ideas, you\u2019ll also find interludes.\u00a0 These draw upon real-life stories of people in Britain who are experiencing unresolved difficulties that should be considered unacceptable in any developed economy or civilised society \u2013 and we suggest how these problems could be solved, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although some depressing situations are described, our overall approach is extremely positive. Instead of denying that there are problems \u2013 or ignoring them, as many politicians have done \u2013 we take a much more \u201ccan do\u201d approach to building the society that most of us would want to live in. That leads to another significant point: Whilst Attlee\u2019s 1945 government put people and society at the centre of its policy ideas, less than forty years later, Thatcher\u2019s administration reversed this, focusing on the individual, privatization and the wealthy. This raises the question: \u201cIn whose interests should<\/em> the economy be run\u201d? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shift to individualism, private profit maximization and an obsession with \u201cfree\u201d markets resulted in serious wealth for the few \u2013 and runaway inequality<\/a> and poverty<\/a> for the many.\u00a0It\u2019s therefore not hard to guess where those contributing to Rethinking Britain<\/em> are coming from!\u00a0 We strongly believe that a society that produces healthy, well educated, strongly motivated people \u2013 who have, or can realistically hope for, a good standard of living \u2013 will also help to generate a powerful and dynamic economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The post-1979 dogma \u2013 that the British government should play as\nsmall a part in the economy as possible \u2013 is also misguided. Far too much\ncapital is being used for short-term, speculative purposes, whilst not enough\nis finding its way into the development of sustainable businesses that provide\nlong term employment and pay decent wages \u2013 not the hand to mouth existence of\na zero hours contract. In other words, the economy should work for the many,\nnot just the few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another theme that runs through Rethinking Britain<\/em> is the concept of citizenship \u2013 where sets of rights and obligations mean that you are indeed part of something bigger than yourself.\u00a0This is the polar opposite of Thatcher\u2019s point of view, that there is \u201cno such thing as society\u201d.\u00a0Many of her policy ideas were developed in the context of the Cold War \u2013 which came to an end thirty years ago; and it\u2019s time for her policy ideas to do the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By investing in Britain\u2019s people, we can build a stronger, more cohesive society \u2013 which will underpin a more vibrant economy. Rethinking Britain shows how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo credit: Flickr\/Christian Reimer<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Of the nineteen UK governments since the Second World War, only two have torn up the rule book and tried to build a better future, instead of simply recycling the tired slogans and policies of the past. The two governments that did try radical change \u2013 not always successfully \u2013 were those of Clement Attlee 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