LC564 Citizenship Community And Welfare Assignment – UK

 

Welfare reform is little more than a series of disconnected ideas imposed by a political clique if it lacks deep roots. Without roots, the history of welfare reform is rewritten with every new ministry. It becomes a source for guidance and understanding. The context narrows down to technical details of the allocation and delivery services and benefits, so that language loses its power to reveal cuts, contradictions and compromises. Social rights are still subject to changing interpretations.

LC564 Citizenship Community And Welfare Assignment – UK

The decisions about what to conserve, develop and what disrupt or discontinue are not based on a constitution. As a result, policy and practice shift from one reorganization into another. Reorganization is often accompanied by a significant reduction in funding. 

Energy is spent adapting to the scarcity of funds, either by advocating against them or resigning to them. The focus is on adapting to the demands of successive generations of new structures, rules and overseers, rather than developing ways to improve the commonwealth through steady progress towards ensuring the inclusion of all citizens.

We are likely to be in the current situation if we cede control to a small political elite who, in turn, depend on a small group of voters. If we then expect these leaders to solve complicated problems in a limited amount of time using only their power of law and money, we will very likely find ourselves in the same position as we currently are. We must protect the welfare state not only from the powerful but also from ourselves. It is important to understand that the welfare state can't develop without citizens actively participating in its work.

This inquiry calls for careful consideration of the sameness and differences between people. All people have the same dignity and can benefit from a welfare system that is designed to serve all of us, individually and collectively.