Is British economy fundamentally broken?

[Martinus]

Manufacturing is still there, trouble is its not the mass employer it once was.

That was my point. If you create an economy where more than 5-10% or so of the working age populace simply has no option for gainful employment, and then decide to cut welfare to the "lazy ones", you are on a straight way to social unrest.

Having a "slimmed down" economy, that is not weighed down by mass employment of the working class has its advantages but you need to address social costs (and share the wealth with those who are left out) rather than sneer at them from your City/White Hall ivory tower for being unable to find a job.

What Germany does best is that they seem to factor social costs (and social "welfare", not necessarily meaning hand outs but the well-being of the populace at large) into their economic model. You can't build an economy that simply treats employees as a "resource" that is subject to the same rules of supply and demand as raw materials or manufacturing equipment - because sooner or later you will have a revolution on your hands. I think Brits have forgotten about it.

The brits have a revolution on their hands?

Are you capable of telling the difference between "they have" and "they will have"?

[Martinus]

No fewer than 150 people had a sit-in at Fortnum and Masons (a posh grocer) during the recent demo, there were appalling scenes of the gentry being unable to access the cheese counter 

Say what you will, you had two rather big demos/riots in London over the last few months, first against tuition increases and now expenditure cuts.

[Martinus]

No fewer than 150 people had a sit-in at Fortnum and Masons (a posh grocer) during the recent demo, there were appalling scenes of the gentry being unable to access the cheese counter 

There was chaos round the Earl Grey shelves. The anarchists wanted to prove that proper tea is theft.

[Josquius]

A revolution is a bit farfetched, not going to happen, that would take benefits being cut to the extent people are starving.
Though I do wish there was some sort of system whereby constituencies could oust their MP....

[Warspite]

No fewer than 150 people had a sit-in at Fortnum and Masons (a posh grocer) during the recent demo, there were appalling scenes of the gentry being unable to access the cheese counter 

There was chaos round the Earl Grey shelves. The anarchists wanted to prove that proper tea is theft.

[Martinus]

Changed the post title to reflect the real question.  Is Marti an anomaly or is every Polack hopelessly ignorant about the real state of countries in Europe?

Typical grumbler. A foul mouthed racist.

[Martinus]

A revolution is a bit farfetched, not going to happen, that would take benefits being cut to the extent people are starving.
Though I do wish there was some sort of system whereby constituencies could oust their MP....

Well that was a bit of a hyperbole. I didn't mean a total overthrow of the government system. More like social unrest and collapse of the coalition, poll tax riot style.

[Warspite]

A revolution is a bit farfetched, not going to happen, that would take benefits being cut to the extent people are starving.
Though I do wish there was some sort of system whereby constituencies could oust their MP....

Well that was a bit of a hyperbole. I didn't mean a total overthrow of the government system. More like social unrest and collapse of the coalition, poll tax riot style.

The poll tax riots led to the replacement of one Conservative cabinet by another.

[Martinus]

A revolution is a bit farfetched, not going to happen, that would take benefits being cut to the extent people are starving.
Though I do wish there was some sort of system whereby constituencies could oust their MP....

Well that was a bit of a hyperbole. I didn't mean a total overthrow of the government system. More like social unrest and collapse of the coalition, poll tax riot style.

The poll tax riots led to the replacement of one Conservative cabinet by another.

Only for one term. Then ultimately it led to the Labour's long dominance. Though it always baffles me why Mayor's government ever made it in. Was Labour leadership so horrid at the time?

[Richard Hakluyt]

No fewer than 150 people had a sit-in at Fortnum and Masons (a posh grocer) during the recent demo, there were appalling scenes of the gentry being unable to access the cheese counter 

Say what you will, you had two rather big demos/riots in London over the last few months, first against tuition increases and now expenditure cuts.

Well now, there is nothing wrong with a law-abiding demo or protest. Similarly there will be monumental moaning and whining in the papers and other media about the cuts, but that is free speech and lets people vent. Her Majesty's loyal opposition will also ignore their role in creating the financial hole we are in and blame the bankers and the coalition.

But, I think you are wrong if you are assuming that this will lead to anything more profound or dangerous. The troublemakers at the recent demos are a tiny minority who do not receive the approval of most people, in fact they strengthen the hand of the government by weakening the respectability of their critics.

The British are quick to moan, gripe, whinge and complain..........but very slow to take more direct action. Things were a pretty grim at times in the 1970s and 1980s but never really moved further on from a large demo or strike, with only the odd bijou riot.

[Richard Hakluyt]

There was the Neil Kinnock factor in the 1992 election. You probably never had to listen to him Marti,  a mind-boggingly boring waffler.............a crucial 5% of the electorate just couldn't face the prospect of listening to his boring waffle for 5 years on election day so abstained or voted for the other side. He was also (a) ginger and (b) Welsh.

[Warspite]

A revolution is a bit farfetched, not going to happen, that would take benefits being cut to the extent people are starving.
Though I do wish there was some sort of system whereby constituencies could oust their MP....

Well that was a bit of a hyperbole. I didn't mean a total overthrow of the government system. More like social unrest and collapse of the coalition, poll tax riot style.

The poll tax riots led to the replacement of one Conservative cabinet by another.

Only for one term. Then ultimately it led to the Labour's long dominance. Though it always baffles me why Mayor's government ever made it in. Was Labour leadership so horrid at the time?

Right, but in 1997, poll tax did not bring down the Tories - rather, sleaze, Europe, and the simple fact that after an entire generation of Conservative rule the stage was set for the energetic, youthful New Labour. Who, incidentally, in their first term continued Tory spending plans that had been set out by the Major government.

[Sheilbh]

There's nothing wrong with big protests and these ones have generally been peaceful - especially that organised by the TUC.  Plus many on the left hate the Socialist Workers and the anarchists rather more than the right who secretly relish their appearance.  I think Ed Balls was right when he said that for the far-left they probably hate him and Miliband more than Osborne and Cameron.

Only for one term. Then ultimately it led to the Labour's long dominance. Though it always baffles me why Mayor's government ever made it in. Was Labour leadership so horrid at the time?

Well Major lasted 2 years and then won an election.  Seven years isn't bad, just they were remarkably torrid for Major.  To put it in context it means Major, in terms of post-war PMs was PM for less than Maggie and Blair but about the same as Wilson and MacMillan which is hardly an enormous failure.

Personally I think his rather understated personality helped after more than a decade of Maggie.

[grumbler]

Changed the post title to reflect the real question.  Is Marti an anomaly or is every Polack hopelessly ignorant about the real state of countries in Europe?

Typical grumbler. A foul mouthed racist.

Poor Marti! 




Soooo dumb that... even the other Polacks notice! 

[DGuller]

You know, grumbler, other people want that Pole-bashing schtick as well.  You're kind of ruining it for the rest of us with your "too virulent to be amusing" take on it.