Broken Britain

1. 0

   Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

   Is Britain broken and if so how do we mend it?

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Poppa Bluesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like you guys are a mess! You've become too collective and as such, you're destroying the biggest minority in the world, the individual!

      replyreport
   2. 60

      R P Chapmanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      We should take it to the mice from Bagpuss, they'd sort it out in no time!
      
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COmKmFjhG5o

      replyreport
      1. 57

         prettydarkhorseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         cute LOLOLOL

         replyreport
   3. 60

      kingbynameposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      There is widespread disenchantment with the political process due to the expenses scandal and the media coverage of it.  It will take a lot to turn things round.  There is a common perception that politicians live in a different world to ordinary people.  It's very much a case of "them" and "us" and it will take a lot to turn things round and restore people's faith in politics.
      
      
      
      I suspect that the term "broken Britain" is like a form of shorthand, a broad umbrella term anything can be thrown under without reporting the issues in depth.

      replyreport
      1. 0

         EmpressFelicityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Whenever I hear phrases like "broken Britain", I tend to think along similar lines to you - it's a catchy, glib journalistic phrase that's guaranteed to sell newspapers.
         
         The issues usually discussed under this umbrella have always been with us though: for example, you've only got to think of Hogarth's painting Gin Lane to realise that binge drinking and street crime are nothing new.
         
         I don't blame people for being disillusioned with politics.  (I only vote myself because the Pankhursts chained themselves to railings so that women could have the right to vote, and it therefore seems churlish not to.)  Perhaps part of the reason for the disillusionment - apart from the dodgy expenses claims - is an unacknowledged realisation that politicians aren't the ones with the power any more.  Or put it this way, they're not the *only* ones with the power - they're the visible and dispensable face of a power structure that also includes corporations, the media, the unions, and other countries/blocs such as the US or EU.

         replyreport
2. 57

   prettydarkhorseposted 13 years ago

   hi Ms. KathrynLJ, what do you mean broken? not the way it used to be? disintegrating values, economic, explain further please..

   replyreport
3. 66

   Flightkeeperposted 13 years ago

   How exactly did Britain break?

   replyreport
4. 0

   Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

   The BBC keep refering to our economic crisis and social problems as Broken Britain.  I don't think they really know what they mean because the definition changes depending on the piece being reported.  I think Poppa Blues, they are refering to individuals being out for number one and disregarding the good of the community.  Rather than being a collective, we may becoming isolated individuals.  A case in point is institutional ageism in the NHS.

   replyreport
   1. 66

      Flightkeeperposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think whatever your media declares is suspect (that's including any media in the US) and not necessarily to be believed especially since the definition keeps changing.

      replyreport
   2. 67

      ledefensetechposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Well Britain could be broken because of something Lenin said:
      "The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation. "
      
      You guys pay an awful lot in taxes, how do you know you're getting your money's worth?

      replyreport
      1. 95

         Amanda Severnposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Led, if you tot up what we pay in taxes, and compare it to what you pay in taxes, plus what you pay in health insurance, you might well find that you pay more. I don't have the figures readily to hand, so I can't prove that assertion, but I do know that the typical health insurance I've seen quoted here on Hubpages sound horrendously high to me. Also, inflation here is low at present, so one of those so called millstones is missing!

         replyreport
         1. 67

            ledefensetechposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Is inflation low, Amanda?  How much value has the pound lost over, say, the last century?  I know how much value the dollar has lost.  It's one of the reasons, one mind you, that all costs, including healthcare, are high.

            replyreport
            1. 95

               Amanda Severnposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I think we need to leave the health-care debate to one side here, Led, as you and I both know of old that we're unlikely to agree! LOL! As far as inflation goes, you are correct that there is more to consider than the traditional measure of inflation. The pound is down, and deservedly so. We are no longer the strong and vibrant economy we once were, but I'm hopeful that there will be a return to growth in 2010.

               replyreport
               1. 67

                  ledefensetechposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  The pound hasn't really been on a sound footing since the late 1920's.  It's interesting to read period pieces, you'd have thought that the sun failed to rise in the east when the pound went off the gold standard.  Until we both went off the gold standard we were wealthy free people, not in decline like today.

                  replyreport
5. 0

   Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

   True.  Broken Britain has also been used as a term to describe politicians in all parties fiddling their expenses.  The press had a field day.  One MP had claimed money for cleaning out his moat and another for having a house built in the middle of his lake for the ducks!  Basically the press is saying that all aspects of british life has gone to hell in a hand cart.

   replyreport
6. 57

   prettydarkhorseposted 13 years ago

   thats what it is, society change, people change and values change also, sooner or later maybe UK will follow capitalism which drives people to become more individualistic unlike in a  welfare economy...

   replyreport
7. 0

   Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

   A bit worrying that considering the biggest UK employer is the NHS.  People are changing, though probably not in the way you mean.  People in the UK have started consuming less and thinking about their lifestyle choices.  Which contradicts capitalism.  Having less money in order to consume is not always a bad thing.

   replyreport
8. 63

   Mishaposted 13 years ago

   Umm, funny definition of capitalism you have....

   replyreport
9. 95

   Amanda Severnposted 13 years ago

   'Broken Britain' is a very catchy sound-bite, and it's come to encompass a whole raft of present day ills. My own feeling is that we are ready for some change. Economically we are suffering from a deep and prolonged depression, unemployment is high, crime rates are high, and there are more children growing up in broken homes.

   replyreport
10. 0

    Scott.Lifeposted 13 years ago

    The Media as a whole likes to focus on the negatives in every society. I know here in the States there's always some corruption scheme, mass murder or abduction on the evening news but rarely anything good. Watching this you might have cause to believe ALL the world is on the fast track to hell, but I don't think that's the case at all. Relatively speaking we are today enjoying a measure of world wide peace not seen in centuries and that's saying alot when you see the several wars going on in the world. people are living longer then ever, making more money then ever and enjoying more basic amenities then ever before. It is easy to get caught up by negativity(Trust me I know read some of my recent hubs) but this world is a good place and worth fighting for. there are few nations where so many have so many opportunities as they do in Britain, Canada, and the US. I am sure Britain is probably hurting along with most the world right now. The real question to all people is if your nation is broken or off track, what are you doing in your life everyday to help it recover and find the way again? Are you doing something to take charge of your life and improve your situation or just complaining and watching it all go down the drain?

    replyreport
11. 95

    Amanda Severnposted 13 years ago

    There's certainly plenty of negativity around, and with an election looming, I can only see the media feeding frenzy intensifying. Newspapers share their agenda with their ownership, and consequently we tend to have very polarised reporting on political issues. Of course that's normal, and you just need to read between the lines, and keep an open mind. The problem is that too many people trust everything they see in print, and they fail to utilise critical thinking.

    replyreport
12. 0

    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    Good point.  Well not at the moment, we've got industrial action, MPs having to pay back their ill gotten gains etc.  And we have to put up with the x factor and Britains got talent.

    replyreport
    1. 95

       Amanda Severnposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Have to agree to disagree on the X Factor and Britains Got Talent, as I love them both (LOL!), but certainly we have our fair share of problems right now, though perhaps we are not so very different from other Western nations in that respect.
       
       You asked earlier how things might improve. My own view is that we should focus less on beaurocracy in all areas supported by taxation (Schools, policing, the NHS, local government, the armed forces, etc)and more on getting the job done. SATS tests are just one example of a ridiculous obsession with costly and unnecessary record-keeping, and police crime targets is another.

       replyreport
    2. 49

       Simon_Towelposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Please leave the x factor alone, its all Britain has left

       replyreport
13. 0

    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    Recession is something the Brits are good at getting out of, usually by switching to different ideologies ie Britain was the sick man of Europe so we voted in Neo Conservatism and THatcher cut a swath through burocracy, middle management etc.  She also got put cleaning contracts out to tender and we haven't had a clean hospital ward since.

    replyreport
    1. 95

       Amanda Severnposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Yep, the last Labour government ran us into debt with the IMF, and disappeared for a generation following their abysmal handling of the economy. Mrs T. made mistakes, and she was  ruthless with those that crossed her (I'm thinking of the miners here) in many respects, but her government got the country back on it's feet. But yes, you're right, wards were cleaner when matron was still in charge!

       replyreport
       1. 67

          ledefensetechposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Amanda, I'm curious.  Ms. T may have been "hard" on the miners, but wasn't it true that mining companies were going through a rough patch?  The troubles were over wages, was it not?  How can you expect a company that is going through hard times to increase wages?  Doesn't that just ensure that more companies will go out of business?

          replyreport
14. 60

    TheAllSeeingEyeposted 13 years ago

    Broken Britain or soon to be broken Europe?
    
    Mr Blair opened the floodgates to take away sovereignty and pride of the people. Nationalism died its death and a multi cultural society spilled the land, bringing mixed feelings, ideologies and social struggles. A parasite society was created when Mr Blair tore the heart out of hard working families and favoured the couch potatoes, anti- socialists and criminals.
    
    This is why Britain is broken and why Europe will soon be broken seeing he is the front runner for presidency.
    
    When will the hard working and honest peoples get themselves a party that will wholeheartedly represent them?
    
    The only way Broken Britain can rise out of chaos is when we have decent and honest people with GOOD intentions moving into positions of power.
    
    If we continue to live in denial and let these parasites manipulate and control us by putting the fear of god into us, and offering solutions that do NOT benefit the hard working citizen or tax payer, then we can put some of that blame on ourselves.
    
    We let this happen in the first place...
    
    There is a saying,
    
    'Should YOU take no interest or have no SAY in politics then YOU are letting your inferiors rule you.'
    
    Then we wonder why these parasites take sides with the devil.

    replyreport
15. 0

    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    Britain would be a better place if people ate less, exercised more, spent less time watching telly and more time doing some thing useful, actually spent time with and took responsibility for their children, spoke to their neighbours, thought about what they are doing with their lives and what kind of contribution they are making, stopped pouring alcohol down their necks and passing out every weekend and if they only did one nice thing for someone other than themselves in the day, maybe, just maybe we'd be happier.  Phew!  I have to go now, I have to be up early to muck out the goats.

    replyreport
    1. 67

       ledefensetechposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       You know, I hear the same sort of thing, just replace Britons with Americans and it would be exactly the same.  Seeing as our societies are traveling in the same direction, perhaps the direction we are going is to blame.

       replyreport
    2. 63

       Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       So, the whole post does not have a single thing YOU personally could do for the change. All what other people should do to make you happy. Doncha think it's a bit selfish? Just a tiny bit?

       replyreport
16. 63

    Mishaposted 13 years ago

    Umm, why it is always other people who have to change to make us happy?

    replyreport
    1. 0

       Kathryn LJposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Because we don't live in a bubble!  Other people can seriously impact on your quality of life.  When your kept awake till 4 am by other peoples kids drunken scuffles, cannot sit in your yard unless you don't mind listening to constant screaming and barking and every time you get in your car you run the risk of some nutter attacking you or ploughing into you for the insurance money, you kind of get a bit jaded.  You can lead a blameless life but if you live on top of other people, it can be a nightmare.  Living with other people can stink!

       replyreport
       1. 63

          Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Your quality of life depends only on you. The easiest thing to do if your neighborhood does not suit your lifestyle is to move out to the place that you like better. But then you'll have nothing to rant about though

          replyreport
          1. 0

             Kathryn LJposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             Ah ha.  Actually, I have.  I moved country and changed my life style and feel a whole lot better for it.  Unfortunately, a lot of other people are not able to do the same and I still love old Blighty.

             replyreport
17. 85

    CMHypnoposted 13 years ago

    I think the media enjoys painting a bleak picture - good news doesn't sell.
    
    But I think we Brits need to try to be more positive and upbeat and stop whining so much.  We still enjoy a much higher standard of living than a lot of the rest of the world and have a lot to be thankful for.
    
    I also think that we need to stop apologising and feeling ashamed of our past, and celebrate British culture and history a bit more.  This is not to say that there are not things to be worked on or things that need improving, but no country is perfect or ever will be.
    
    It's time for us all to take responsibility for our own lives, family and friends - it's not up to any government to make us happy or prosperous.  If we don't like the government or it's policies, it up to us as citizens to vote them out, complain to your MP, start a protest group etc.  Apathy get us nowhere.
    
    As a country we should hang our heads in shame that more people vote in the X Factor final than vote in elections.  There are some countries where people are getting killed, just trying to vote in a democratic election.

    replyreport
18. 0

    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    I think it also depends on which part of the country you live in, some areas are decidedly more upbeat than others.  As for participating in elections; we get the govt we deserve and that goes double for the vast % of the population who don't bother to vote in general elections.

    replyreport
19. 57

    prettydarkhorseposted 13 years ago

    hi to everyone, from an outsiders point of view, it seems that there are more domestic issues like general disillusionment among the public with regards to the government, health care, public officials, inflation etc. What is the general take of the public about this? life goes on or are they willing to change to adapt to the changes?

    replyreport
20. 0

    assemberposted 13 years ago

    I don't think britain is broken at all
    
    i only hear that term from on side of the \political spectrum, and it sure isn't from the Left,

    replyreport
    1. 49

       Simon_Towelposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I love Britain so much I live in the U.S !

       replyreport
       1. 57

          prettydarkhorseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          LOLOLOL

          replyreport
21. 0

    assemberposted 13 years ago

    Each to their own, its good that your happy where you're living

    replyreport
22. 0

    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    So, perhaps its time for something new? What would catch the voters imagination?  Like the bagpuss comment by the way, I have one of the mice and it sings, ahhh.

    replyreport
23. 0

    Kathryn LJposted 13 years ago

    lso, I spent 25 years working with vulnerable adults before training health care professionals on principles of care, including the dignity of service users and changed the way plans of care are compiled within the care service.  So, personally, I have done a little bit of trying to change things for people.

    replyreport