Dear Gareth et al,
I'm not sure that conditionality is growing that much in the UK at the moment, but it might. And, properly structured and targeted at acceptable domains, I don't see much wrong with it (and indeed a lot of right in it).
Should children be allowed to attend schools only if they have been vaccinated against certain illnesses (unless they, or more to the point their parents - who may in any case be acting against the best interests of their children - have very good reasons not to)? Perhaps.
Should people have the right to claim unemployment benefits if they are not seeking work (again, unless they have very good reasons not to)? Perhaps not. I personally believe that the young persons job seekers allowance should be transferred to subsidize apprenticeships, but that's a different point, I suppose.
I also believe in the welfare state, but this does not deny the importance of individual responsibility. Those who do deny that importance have probably done much to undermine the welfare state, and have served to play into the hands of those who would wish to role back the welfare state entirely.
It may be an old cliché, but there are no rights (ok, few rights) without responsibility.
Best,
Adam
-----Original Message-----
From: Anglo-American Health Policy Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gareth WILLIAMS
Sent: 22 August 2009 07:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Obama's moral sentiments
George,
I agree with much of what you say, though judging by the growth of 'conditionality' (services and benefits only on condition that people behave in certain deserving ways) in many aspects of UK health and social policy, I am not sure the USA is all that splendidly, culturally isolated. Something to do with models of state capitalism perhaps.
With regard to Obama's tactics, I agree that he needs to make the argument about social solidarity more forcefully than he is doing at the moment, but it is difficult to win over the middle classes when the real vested interests are, as ever, encouraging possessive individualism through the tactic of systematic misinformation to create a climate of fear and anxiety.
Gareth
Professor Gareth Williams
School of Social Sciences
Cardiff University
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