LOSING SIGHT OF THE BIG PICTURE

Like a family which is constantly making allowances for an abusive alcoholic father, the country has now had even more of its pocket money docked to support his habit, rather than tackling the addiction head on, because of our fear of his power. You’re seeing the danger of “anything for a quiet life” being fleshed out in public policy. We must stop genuflecting to the market. Markets can be good, but we’ve made them God.

The attempt to put a positive spin on the cuts is that we are also “going for growth”. Except that’s not necessarily a positive. More growth still means more carbon emissions, more deforestation, more advertising, more pollution, less time with our families, and increased depression. When will we lose our addiction to an economic model that still pretends our planet is an indefinite resource?

What most people find hard to stomach is that the poorest are being hit hardest (as the IFS analysis confirms) as a result of a crisis that was precipitated by those who are still happily raking in huge salaries and bonuses. We need to deal with the innate injustices in the banking and financial systems. For some these cuts mean they are losing 10ft off the length of their new yacht. For others they mean that they are losing their job, their flat, and their community. 

This is not the politics of envy. This is a realisation that unequal societies are less healthy and happy societies. All the evidence you need for this is in Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett's great work, "The Spirit Level". A must-read for anyone who cares about society.