Must be something better than this?
This is the area to create and debate policy ideas with a view to dealing with the ineviatable existence of long term unemployment in an increasingly efficient and mechanised society.
No.1
Land is to be set aside where the long term unemployed can choose to produce thier own food either individually or as a collective, for their own consumption or to sell as they wish or as a Kibbutz type principle. Note this is not meant to be demeaning but to give a sense of worth back to individuals and give them something productive to do which they will directly benefit from.
No.2
Honest debate is required to determine measures to deal with the increasing mechanisation of society which means that it is not reasonable, practical or desirable to aspire to the whole population of working age to work for 40 hours a week for 47 weeks a year in order to produce more and more goods and services we dont actually need more and more efficiently..ad infinitum !!. we should be looking for everyone to work fewer hours and live more sustainably.
No.3
Break up local councils into much smaller more local bodies (more like parish councils) for the people to feel a genuine connection with their community and have a direct influence over it.
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by BobRocket
12 Aug 2009 at 01:31
no.1
given that the the population of the UK is about 60 mill and the surface area of the uk is about 243000 km2, that gives around 0.000041 km2 each (more or less) I must admit that I have no idea how big this actually is, it could be a carrier bag sized plot each or even a carrier sized plot each.
The reality is that there is just not enough work to go around if those in full-time employment are forced to work 39 or more hours per week.
The solution, make employers NI contributions 60% for all hours worked over 35 with a proviso that any reduction in the number of working hours results in an increase in the hourly rate paid to the worker.
(yes employers will squeal like stuck pigs, but as it applies to them all their is not nett ad or dis advantage)
by goldtop
01 Sep 2009 at 10:14
“as it applies to them all their is not nett ad or dis advantage”
You kind of lost me at the end there Bob…care to clarify?