Can a big society be a fair society?

it’s not fair!

Can a big society ever be a fair society?

‘ it’s like 500 people applied for the same job and only like three vacancies... so it’s really hard. When you know there’s only three going and there’s like 500 people applying, and then you’re thinking, “yeah, it’s not likely”.’ Oxfam research on poverty in Bradford

The context: the cuts
civil society institutions under threat
welfare cuts WILL hurt the poorest
the private economy will get worse before it gets better

Big Society: the aspiration

‘ at its core, the big society is an attempt to connect the civic institutions that lie between the individual and the state... our centralised state has become too big, too bureaucratic and just too distant to support many of those most in need of help.’ Ian Birrell, speechwriter for David Cameron

The Big Society agenda
redesign public services to put users first
strengthen civil society institutions and encourage voluntarism
localism: decisions should be taken as closely as possible to those they affect

Big Society: the critique

‘ the Big Society idea is strong on empowerment but weak on equality. By equality we mean everyone having an equal chance in life so that, regardless of circumstance, they can contribute to society, fulfil their potential and live a satisfying life.’ Anna Coote, new economics foundation

Can we tell what it is yet?
critique 1: it’s a cover for cuts
critique 2: it’s a rightwing ideological agenda
critique 3: it’s vacuous nonsense
critique 4: should the state be telling us how to construct civil society anyway?

Big Society: the opportunity

‘ the really helpful things will not be done from the centre; they cannot be done by big organisations; but they can be done by the people themselves.’ E F Schumacher, Small is Beautiful

hard times demand hard thinking
opportunity 1: subsidiarity is intelligent
opportunity 2: co-production is more effective
opportunity 3: resilience is learned, not programmed - ecology, not just economy
opportunity 4: reduced resources require innovation
opportunity 5: civil society may be the only show in town

So is a big society fair?

‘ all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.’ George Orwell, Animal Farm

hard thinking about fairness
question 1: does fairness equal universality?
question 2: is diversity ‘unfair’?
question 3: do we have a shared view of fairness?
question 4: if we all believe in it, how come we don’t vote for it?

Making the most of it

‘ it is not only possible for one human being to make a real and lasting difference to another; it is often, in the most difficult circumstances, the only thing that ever does.’ David Robinson, Out of the Ordinary

Five ways forward
1: build on community development values
2: recognise and share learning
3: create new connections
4: critique, conversation, collaboration
5: create the mainstream from the margins

From Big Society to Our Society
Big Society is the government’s story....
....Our Society could be our story

http://urbanpollinators.co.uk	472
http://livingwithrats.blogspot.com	67

Can a big society be a fair society?

by Julian Dobson

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