Nobody seems to know, let alone the chap who says it was his idea, seems like a good way of closing down services and then restarting them with volunteers..

seems It is like a good way of closing down services and then restarting them with volunteers.

Fixed that for you.

It’s about dismantling the Welfare State, and putting power and control more firmly in the hands of the wealthy. Turning the poorest into subservient slaves happy for the tiniest crumb the rich will throw them. In order that they will work for a pittance and make the rich even richer. It’s about disempowering the ordinary working people of Britain, and undermining Democracy and Social Justice. It doesn’t really take a genius to work it out, Project, but I can see where you might struggle…

Cameron knows exactly what he’s doing.

Now, what’s for supper?

(Toddles off to inspect contents of kitchen cupboards and fridge)

t
o
t
a
l

b
o
l
l
o
x

😀

Yup, it means closing just about everything and expecting volunteers to fill the gap…. Not a bad idea for the St John’s ‘ambliance’ but heart surgery…?

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/6699398/defining-the-bs.thtml

Thought this was rather interesting.

It’s about dismantling the Welfare State…

…Cameron knows exactly what he’s doing.

Citizen Smith, time to go in for your tea!

No but it’s true, Mol.

Big Society might work in a cosy Little Village, but it won’t actually work in a larger Society.

Big Society = Small Government.

Standard Tory policy for generations.

Elfinsafety, theres a lot of non geniuses out there , they all voted conservative and work for councils, have kids they thought where going to uni, instead of actually working, and now theres no work for mummy and daddy and no uni for the kids it appears.

Oh nad were stuck with this lot for 4 years plus.

Oh unhappy times for all the non working classes, those with no jobs.

No idea, but its got the potential to be about as successful as care in the community

The Beg Society?

Citizen Smith, time to go in for your tea!

Big Society means being considerate to others. Something you might struggle with.

i.e no washing your bike on a 4th floor balcony.

I’d suggest you ask Cameron but he doesn’t seem to know either

Big Society means being considerate to others.

In a “society” that puts money before people.

Elfinsafety, theres a lot of non geniuses out there , they all voted conservative and work for councils, have kids they thought where going to uni, instead of actually working, and now theres no work for mummy and daddy and no uni for the kids it appears.

I’m sure it will be of little consequence to Cameron and his gang of millionaires when they are ejected from office.

its just the usual political BS

– a way of blaming people for the failings of their own society

if youre a recently unemployed council worker and your estate is overun by asbo kids dealing drugs and graffiting and stuff

its your fault for not being efficient enough to keep your job, joining the neighbourhood watch instead of relying on police, buying your kids books rather than borrowing them from the library, kids ill; you are a burden to your GP surgery they have to pay their new financial maagement company after all etc etc

sounds just like the kind of waffle that would be dreamt up by a bunch of millionaires who’ve never done a days manual labour in their life or are even aware what day their wages go into their account or how much overdraft charges are

To the size of a state there is a limit, as there is to plants, animals and implements, for they can none of them retain their facility when they are too large.

Aristotle

When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.

Thomas Jefferson

The delegation of particular technical tasks to separate bodies, while a regular feature, is yet the first step by which a democracy progressively relinquishes its powers.

F A Hayek

For me, those three quotes sum up the Big society!

But his heroine told us that there was no such thing as society, never mind a big one.

This compassionate conservatism is very confusing isn’t it?

a bunch of millionaires who’ve never done a days manual labour in their life or are even aware what day their wages go into their account or how much overdraft charges are

You mean much of the Labour party? What real work has Balls done? Or Milliband? Let’s not even start with Mandelson, shall we. At least Prescott did some real work before becoming the most vile example of a champagne socialist.

Be careful with those stones, that glass house ain’t so safe.

Francis Maude explains:

http://audioboo.fm/boos/155599-eddie-mair-putting-francis-maude-on-the-spot-what-volunteering-do-you-do

The tories are ****, thats all I have to say on the matter.

But his heroine told us that there was no such thing as society, never mind a big one.

Have you ever actually read what Thatcher said?

I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand”I have a problem, it is the Government’s job to cope with it!” or”I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!” “I am homeless, the Government must house me!” and so they are casting their problems on society and who is society? There is no such thing! There are individual men and women and[fo 1] there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour and life is a reciprocal business and people have got the entitlements too much in mind without the obligations, because there is no such thing as an entitlement unless someone has first met an obligation and it is, I think, one of the tragedies in which many of the benefits we give, which were meant to reassure people that if they were sick or ill there was a safety net and there was help, that many of the benefits which were meant to help people who were unfortunate—” It is all right. We joined together and we have these insurance schemes to look after it” . That was the objective, but somehow there are some people who have been manipulating the system and so some of those help and benefits that were meant to say to people:”All right, if you cannot get a job, you shall have a basic standard of living!” but when people come and say:”But what is the point of working? I can get as much on the dole!” You say:”Look” It is not from the dole. It is your neighbour who is supplying it and if you can earn your own living then really you have a duty to do it and you will feel very much better!”
There is also something else I should say to them:”If that does not give you a basic standard, you know, there are ways in which we top up the standard. You can get your housing benefit.”
But it went too far. If children have a problem, it is society that is at fault. There is no such thing as society.[fo 2] There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate. And the worst things we have in life, in my view, are where children who are a great privilege and a trust—they are the fundamental great trust, but they do not ask to come into the world, we bring them into the world, they are a miracle, there is nothing like the miracle of life—we have these little innocents and the worst crime in life is when those children, who would naturally have the right to look to their parents for help, for comfort, not only just for the food and shelter but for the time, for the understanding, turn round and not only is that help not forthcoming, but they get either neglect or worse than that, cruelty.
How do you set about teaching a child religion at school, God is like a father, and she thinks”like someone who has been cruel to them?” It is those children you cannot … you just have to try to say they can only learn from school or we as their neighbour have to try in some way to compensate. This is why my foremost charity has always been the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, because over a century ago when it was started, it was hoped that the need for it would dwindle to nothing and over a hundred years later the need for it is greater, because we now realise that the great problems in life are not those of housing and food and standard of living. When we have[fo 3] got all of those, when we have got reasonable housing when you compare us with other countries, when you have got a reasonable standard of living and you have got no-one who is hungry or need be hungry, when you have got an education system that teaches everyone—not as good as we would wish—you are left with what? You are left with the problems of human nature, and a child who has not had what we and many of your readers would regard as their birthright—a good home—it is those that we have to get out and help, and you know, it is not only a question of money as everyone will tell you; not your background in society. It is a question of human nature and for those children it is difficult to say:”You are responsible for your behaviour!” because they just have not had a chance and so I think that is one of the biggest problems and I think it is the greatest sin.

Sit down, and in the cold light of day, tell me what she said tat was untrue!

It’s political bullsh1te of the highest order… doubly-so coming from this bunch.

When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.

Z-11 – fine sentiments indeed (and statements which Stoner’s my own personal fave libertarian – Thoreau – would set much store by). However, they seem to fail to explain why, say, the NHS should handed over to Serco… whilst the PM spouts flowery prose about volunteering.

Steady…a few people will get wood reading that shite.

The tories are ****, thats all I have to say on the matter.

Four stars? What’s that, an eBay review?

“excellent policies, nice package, would elect again A++++++”

cfh
im under no ilusion about the working class cred of the current labour party

z11
you should speech wroite for cameron thats a better description than any hes come up with
though i think theyll only appeal to the typical tory voter

“I am homeless, the Government must house me!”

…Thatch conveniently left out the bit about closing down industry so that millions were left without jobs, and therefore the means to pay their mortgages and rents, thus needing social housing.

“I am homeless because the government has shut down the industry in which I once worked to pay my way in life, and now I cannot do so”

Thatch talked a load of bollocks tbh. Big speeches sucked up by her ardent flock. She missed quite a fair bit out though. Funny that, eh?

z11 thatchers prose may be very erudite- im not sure it squares so well with her covernance…launching the uk into casino capitalism, misunderstanding and aggrivating the NI conflict, idolysing pinochet and so on

and to be honest 2 words effectively ccounter everything you quoted

POLL TAX 😆

Sorry Kimbers – are you saying that the Rates/Council tax was/is fairer than a system where everyone contributes equally?

Seriously – anyone who really wants to understand the Big Society need only read one book:

Sit down, and in the cold light of day, tell me what she said tat was untrue!

This.

who is society? There is no such thing!

I call straw man.

Oh holy Jesus, something written by Dan The Man HanNAN. This is just getting funny now.

it would be fairer if everyone was paid equally,
are you suggesting communism is the ideal system?

Have you ever actually read what Thatcher said?

Yes, I heard the speech on Woman’s Hour as it was broadcast – her intentions were clear, as proved by her actions.

The trickle down economy, the big society – all the same things, all a lie. It has never worked and never will.

The social and economic conditions of the working people of this country have only ever been improved by activism and the collective bargaining power of those who create the wealth for the
land owning minority.

Evil, hateful woman.

it would be fairer if everyone was paid equally,
are you suggesting communism is the ideal system?

of course it is. i don’t think that anyone can morally argue against it.

need only read one book

Daniel Hannan can fug off!!!

so, 30 posts in and i’ve still no idea what the big society is. apart from a pointless pro/anti thatcher argument which doesn’t help at all

What shoes for dancing on….

Me neither.

Except, I think this is the third launch of the concept.

what danniel hannan the guy paid all that money by the US healthcare insurance industry to appear as a pundit on fox news and slag off the NHS

I heard the speech on Woman’s Hour as it was broadcast

Thats really, really funking impressive – since it was published, on paper, in Woman’s own

🙄