I expect that over the next few months we’re are going to hear a lot more about fairness and morality as the savagery of budget cuts in the public sector becomes apparent.
Fairness is what the public sector is all about; services are not run for profit but provided for the greater good of the community. At one time this meant clean water and clean air, free education and free health care, it meant protection for the vulnerable and help for the frail. The public sector championed equal opportunities and strived to ensure people were not discriminated against because of their race, gender, disability, faith, sexuality or age.
So how come cuts in welfare benefits are being justified on the grounds of fairness and cuts in services designed to help the vulnerable and disadvantaged are planned at the very time they are needed most. That doesn’t seem right.
Of course there were always those who talked of the deserving and the undeserving poor. Some people didn’t deserve our help the lazy and workshy those who were unemployed, homeless, destitute or ill due to their own actions, criminals, drunks, drug addicts and those who are not from round here. It would appear now that the argument is that we can’t afford to help so many people. So welfare cuts are aimed at those who don’t deserve help. That seems fair. Fair but not morally right. If we only gave to those who deserved it there would be very few in recite of our help. We provide help and assistance because people need help not because they deserve it. Morally you cannot refuse to treat someone because they had unprotected sex, drove while under the influence of alcohol, chain smoke or live on a diet of unhealthy fast food. You can’t say people have the right not to be discriminated against provided they are nice people.
The debate on how we balance the books is in danger of confusing us into thinking that if something is” fair” it is also morally right. I am a big fan of Dexter a television show imported from the USA. Dexter is a serial killer the twist is that he works for the police and only kills other serial killers. Dexter therefore is the good guy who kills bad guys. But that doesn’t make it right does it?
Blair McPherson www.blairmcpherson.co.uk