Anne Summers reports on the results of the 28th British Social Attitudes Survey.
Anne Summers is the communications manager for NatCen Social Research
The 28th British Social Attitudes report publishes today. The report arrives at a difficult time: increased economic gloom, and in the wake of the public’s faith in a number of pillars of the establishment stretched to breaking point.
What effect has this had on the British psyche? NatCen Social Research’s interviewers have spent an hour in the homes of more than 3,000 people to find out.
There are glimpses of some important shifts. Overall, there are signs that British society is looking increasingly inward: we’re becoming a bit more individualistic, and less likely to look to see government as the solution to society’s problems’. If we’re right about this trend, there is a risk of increasing polarisation between the haves and have-nots over time.
People continue to think the gap between rich and poor is too wide, but they are not up for redistributing wealth as a result.
Many continue to believe that unemployment benefits are too high, and that they discourage people from finding work. And in a new module on child poverty, while we see real concern, people also believe that more than anything, the root cause of child poverty is poor parenting. So some tough attitudes on display.
This theme combines with evidence that self-reliance doesn’t equate to a sense of common interest.
In another new module, we see that pretty much everyone accepts the need to build more homes. But almost half are resistant to new homes in their own area: particularly in the South East (where need is greatest), and particularly among those who already own their own homes.
We’re also seeing less willingness to make financial sacrifices to safeguard the environment through higher prices or taxation. And in an interesting shift, people are less opposed to the better-off paying for health care. (Although we have not seen this shift in Scotland).
In tough times, society could do with more belief in its leaders; but in practice we see democracy under continued pressure.
This is particularly evident among the young, less well off, and among ethnic minorities. We’re seeing a long term decline in the belief in the duty to vote; fewer than one half of younger people voted in the last election; and the television debates only really appealed to people already interested in politics.
Why should we care? Because we may see society polarised and weakened as some prove much better equipped at self reliance and self interest than others.
If the government is hoping for the big society to solve problems, then we’re only half way there. Self reliance is part of the story: but a strong society requires people to look outwards too. And it requires people to believe in its leaders.
See also:
• Immigration policy should support UK economic growth, not undermine it – Ruth Grove-White, December 5th 2011
• Borrowing more to borrow less may not be political suicide – Leo Barasi, December 5th 2011
• Look Left – Workers prepare to fight slasher Osborne – Shamik Das, November 25th 2011
• Message to Cameron: Talk to us, not TV news – Sally Hunt, November 25th 2011
• New survey shows public more willing to take action over pensions – Neil Foster, November 21st 2011
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 117 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
32 Responses to “Economic gloom is killing Britons’ sense of common interest”
Newsbot9
No, your avocation of murder is directly relevant. That bloody handed eugenicists like you are around says a LOT of bad things about Britain.
And no, our relatively LOW tax rates, especially for the rich, are not the reason. And I support nuclear power and no feed-in tarriffs, so you have no point there, as usual.
Your answer is to murder the poor. That’s IT. No other possible solution in your world.
Oh, and I’m a left winger, not a Laborite . Stop slandering me.
Anonymous
You need more than growth. You need growth that exceeds the borrowing cost.
So look at what happens. Governments taxes people. A very small percentage is invested. What’s it invested in?
You’ve told us already. HS2, Olympics, Five a day coordinators, trident, …
It doesn’t generate growth it generates more debt.
Unfortunately it’s tipped. They can’t get enough growth to get the debt down. The debt is growing fast than the ability to generate growth.
Generating growth needs massive tax cuts on private capital spending where the government isn’t involved acting as guarantor. However, they need massive money to pay their debts and their five a day coordinators. So they won’t cut those taxes on investment.
So its going the way of Greece.
You will get your high spending.
The Tories will get their small government.
The public will get shafted.
Newsbot9
Oh yes, five a day coordinators. Who, guess what, save the country money. Can’t be having that, got to have everything done the hard way, social darwinist.
It’s tipped because the Tories have put their foot on the neck of growth. The policy which you cheer for.
You are getting what YOU want, by ensuring that no savings can be made. That everything has to cost more and take longer. This is your plan, not mine.
There is NO evidence that tax cuts generate growth on anything like the scale required. They simply reduce revenue. Which serves your goal of destroying effective government, and killing the poor.
I’m sure you’re working very hard to not pay tax and ensure we go Greece’s way.
Anonymous
So come on. Why shouldn’t tax cuts work?
You were complaining that a tax avoidance scheme for film makers generated lots of wealth and removing it was a bad idea.
Why not go the whole hog and have much reduced taxes for investment?
Or is it that you personally suck at the teat of public money, and are worried about the cuts having a personal effect?
Newsbot9
Because trickle-down doesn’t work. Redistribution is necessary.
And no, it’s not a tax avoidance scheme. It’s a *subsidy*. A tax-positive subsidy of the sort you hate. Never mind it demonstratively generate jobs, and that slashing the games one has traceably cost the UK over 2.5 billion in investment.
And I’m underemployed, thanks to the Tories you love so much and their slash and burn which they’ve done to the PRIVATE sector.
Of course I’m also worried about what happens to people. Meanwhile, you cry about the effect on companies and about slashes in corporate welfare, people ain’t important to you. That’d take empathy.