Again and again studies find housing the homeless and providing the poor with at least a minimum standard of living is effective and ultimately cheaper than letting them be homeless and desperate. So it doesn’t require money, it requires a society with a sense of decency and solidarity.
it requires a society with a sense of decency and solidarity.
Speaking for Germany, especially the solidarity was and continues to be underminded by the widespread adoption of neoliberal ideas. I would even argue that our solidarity-based public health insurance could not be implemented again if it wasn’t already.
So the question is: How can we strengthen a sense of solidarity?
So the question is: How can we strengthen a sense of solidarity?
Overthrow capitalism? That aside, I think it’s important to lay the groundwork as early as possible, because it’s hard to change people’s minds once they’ve reached adulthood, especially when it’s so fundamental. We can’t really trust parents to raise their children accordingly, so kindergarten should be (a) compulsory and (b) teach social skills and emphasise empathy.
But I don’t know if that really works. My doubts come from the fact that the East German youth organisation actually tried to do just that, to create a “new type of person”, and these very people seem to be the exact opposite and even more selfish. Perhaps because compulsory participation does not make them feel heard?
As for adults, I am afraid that nothing will change unless material conditions deteriorate to such an extent that solidarity becomes necessary for survival.
EDIT: my point is bullshit, I’ll leave it for the sake of transparency. See 0x815s reply for a better answer
We can’t really trust parents to raise their children accordingly, so kindergarten should be (a) compulsory and (b) teach social skills and emphasise empathy.
Taking away their kids because you “can’t trust parents” to “raise their children” is not only a generalisation and an insult to the parents, it wouldn’t work either because “compulsory participation does not make them feel heard” as you stated yourself. Such an early compulsory education paved the way to a system similar to the one in China, where parents send their kids to indoctrination camps disguised as schools.
We need more freedom, but for all the people rather than just a few. This means more direct democracy where people have a say, where every child has the freedom to develop individual skills in their own pace, more transparency to hold those in political power accountable, and a lot more things that build the foundation of a truly democratic society.
Scandinavian countries like Finland are often role models when it comes to housing policies, but also many other social security measures. And it is no coincidence that exactly these Scandinavian countries frequently rank top in democracy indices.
You said it. And I would add critical thinking to the requirements. Even if they don’t feel a responsibility towards any other people generally, ‘effective and cheaper’ should sway anyone who doesn’t just want someone to marginalize, exploit, or otherwise look down on.
I don’t understand what is preventing major cities in the US from implementing these strategies. They must know about this. It’s been in the news cycle for years!
I think even the US had its moments. Social Security, the “Great Society” programs, ACA (to an extent). But attitudes towards a more humane, equal and inclusive society seem to have drastically hardened on the right.
Yes, these “moments” have been everywhere, at least in Europe and North America in the last 80 years. I argue that economic growth wouldn’t have been possible after the Second World War without a proper social policy that includes, but obviously goes far beyond housing.
Successive governments [in the UK] have chosen to mar the childhoods of millions by selling off social homes and failing to replace them. 2 million social homes have disappeared since I [the author] was born into one, with no hint of this government wanting to build them back at the scale needed, or to fund councils and housing associations to keep those left in good repair.
Again and again studies find housing the homeless and providing the poor with at least a minimum standard of living is effective and ultimately cheaper than letting them be homeless and desperate. So it doesn’t require money, it requires a society with a sense of decency and solidarity.
Speaking for Germany, especially the solidarity was and continues to be underminded by the widespread adoption of neoliberal ideas. I would even argue that our solidarity-based public health insurance could not be implemented again if it wasn’t already.
So the question is: How can we strengthen a sense of solidarity?
Overthrow capitalism? That aside, I think it’s important to lay the groundwork as early as possible, because it’s hard to change people’s minds once they’ve reached adulthood, especially when it’s so fundamental. We can’t really trust parents to raise their children accordingly, so kindergarten should be (a) compulsory and (b) teach social skills and emphasise empathy.
But I don’t know if that really works. My doubts come from the fact that the East German youth organisation actually tried to do just that, to create a “new type of person”, and these very people seem to be the exact opposite and even more selfish. Perhaps because compulsory participation does not make them feel heard?
As for adults, I am afraid that nothing will change unless material conditions deteriorate to such an extent that solidarity becomes necessary for survival.
EDIT: my point is bullshit, I’ll leave it for the sake of transparency. See 0x815s reply for a better answer
Taking away their kids because you “can’t trust parents” to “raise their children” is not only a generalisation and an insult to the parents, it wouldn’t work either because “compulsory participation does not make them feel heard” as you stated yourself. Such an early compulsory education paved the way to a system similar to the one in China, where parents send their kids to indoctrination camps disguised as schools.
We need more freedom, but for all the people rather than just a few. This means more direct democracy where people have a say, where every child has the freedom to develop individual skills in their own pace, more transparency to hold those in political power accountable, and a lot more things that build the foundation of a truly democratic society.
Scandinavian countries like Finland are often role models when it comes to housing policies, but also many other social security measures. And it is no coincidence that exactly these Scandinavian countries frequently rank top in democracy indices.
You said it. And I would add critical thinking to the requirements. Even if they don’t feel a responsibility towards any other people generally, ‘effective and cheaper’ should sway anyone who doesn’t just want someone to marginalize, exploit, or otherwise look down on.
I don’t understand what is preventing major cities in the US from implementing these strategies. They must know about this. It’s been in the news cycle for years!
I have become, sadly, a pessimist.
Society never had this I believe.
I think even the US had its moments. Social Security, the “Great Society” programs, ACA (to an extent). But attitudes towards a more humane, equal and inclusive society seem to have drastically hardened on the right.
Yes, these “moments” have been everywhere, at least in Europe and North America in the last 80 years. I argue that economic growth wouldn’t have been possible after the Second World War without a proper social policy that includes, but obviously goes far beyond housing.
Recently I stumbled upon a very good article which describes the changes in the UK, but I argue that the principles apply to all Western countries.