Karl Marx was right. Well - about one thing at least. Alienation is a central problem in modern society. For people who do not own feel alienated. They feel dispossessed from any control over their own destiny. Of course Marx wasn't right about the solution. But this is a problem which Conservatives can solve. And a big part of the solution is to spread ownership ...So how can we rise to the challenge of alienation in our modern time? Yes by consolidating and expanding on the successes of our past through the property-owning democracy. So a renewal of the Right to Buy is long overdue. But we must go much further if we are to improve the lives for everyone in Britain. A central means will be by encouraging mutuals.
The reason is that it would, over a much wider area, take out things like the National Grid on which we all rely or almost everything; the water system, the sewage system and it would rapidly become difficult to live in cities. When I say rapidly, I mean within a matter of a couple of days. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian 10.52am: Paul Kenny (left), the GMB general secretary, has also been commenting on Liam Fox's FT article. (See 9.00am and 9.28am.) He's put out this statement.So soon after Fox resigned after admitting 'mistakes' of 'blurring' roles, here he is again making further mistakes, blurring extreme right-wing drivel with changes the economy actually needs. Large companies are awash with cash.
The G20 identified a group of countries that have the space to borrow more. But no one was pretending that Britain should be on that list.On obstacles to growth, Cameron says imbalances are growing again.Some real progress was made. Russia is making changes to foreign exchange regime. And China agreed more currency flexibility.Protectionist measures being taken in G20 countries are "a cause for concern".Russia will become a member of the World Trade Organisation.Cameron says he presented a report on global governance. There was agreement on the key proposals.Further progress was made on tackling tax evasion.Bill Gates presented a report on financing development.On the financial transactions tax, Cameron says he is not opposed to the introduction of such a tax at a global level.
In an article for PoliticsHome this morning Chris Grayling, the employment minister, wrote an open letter to the Guardian's Polly Toynbee, criticising her for supporting the campaigners in an article she wrote for Comment is free. Here's an extract.Around half those doing placements have come off benefits very quickly afterwards.This is the scheme the protestors, who you are supporting, are trying to destroy.It's proving to be one of the best and quickest ways to help young unemployed people into jobs in the face of a frequent reluctance by employers to hire someone with little or no experience.I appreciate that you are strongly opposed to many of the reforms that we are pushing through,
www.ytcgzx.net, and that we will generally disagree.
? An internationalist outlook.By contrast, a closed society includes:? A child's opportunities decided by the circumstances of their birth.? Power hoarded by the elite.? Information jealously guarded.? Wealth accumulating in the hands of the few, not the many.? Narrow nationalism trumps enlightened internationalism.Is this a fair description of modern Britain? Obviously Clegg thinks it is, though he has shaped his analysis to fit Lib Dem prescriptions, as we all do.Liberals have opposed societies which are "opaque, hierarchical, insular" for 150 years – Gladstone and Cobden, Lloyd George and Jo Grimond – he explains, in favour of free trade, openness, against cartel and monopoly etc, he says.
Much better if the courts and regulators rather than the honours forfeiture committee were leading the charge against pre-crash failings.Papers which are supportiveDaily MailWhen the Mail first reported MPs' demands that Fred Goodwin should be stripped of his knighthood, we warned that such decisions should be reserved strictly for the most exceptional cases.Otherwise, we argued, the honours system could all too easily be abused as a means of settling old political scores, with governments cancelling the garlands bestowed by their predecessors.We believed,
ytcgzx, however, that the case for making an example of the then Sir Fred was indeed exceptional and compelling ...Bankers themselves are looking forward to stuffing their pockets with another round of massive bonuses.
So exploitation of the poor and vulnerable, women and girls in particular,
marc by marc jacobs bag, has been with society for ever, much of it brushed under the carpet as too difficult to comprehend, let alone resolve. One familiar response that the jury in Liverpool heard was that the girls, not their rapists, were the exploiters, street-smart, greedy and immoral. "I didn't know how old she was," that sort of excuse too.How different cultures and societies treat their women is a crucial test of justice, fairness, efficiency and modernity in the 21st century. The countries where they are most equal are, I think we can sustain this generalisation, the societies that tend to be richer, fairer and more competent – though Scandinavian sex tourism and the Breivik trial in Oslo remind us too that such countries' policies are not problem-free.
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