Channel 4 "1949 benefits"

I watched this last night and apart from the fact that that a true comparison would be hard to make, I was quite
amused by the "in-yer-face, extremely well-developed entitlement mentality" displayed by one of the participants
as compared to the "obviously elderly" and "obviously disabled" other two. The trailer for the next episode looks even more amusing.

 

Yours was titled to reflect better however.
http://www.arrse.co.uk/films-music-all-things-artsy/202720-benefits-britain-ch4.html

 

Cheers, missed that one.

 

It has been said that the Welfare State was the downfall of Britain. Such a radical change from the previous system to an all encompassing support system free at point of need was the envy of the world. Now sadly the piss takers have turned us into a nation of lazy, fat, weak and sickly fools who are laughed at by more robust nations. Before you worked or starved. After you merely sat on your ass and it got handed to you.

Oh crap what have I done ...

 

I thought it was a great programme. Although I know that they couldn't make it truly realistic. I got the feeling that the system was set up in a day when neighbours and family were expected to help out a bit more. But I felt sorry for the old guy a bit, and thenI realised that they were actually looking after him by putting him into a home. He wasn't left destitute and the system did what it said on th side of the tin.

I was really happy for the guy in the wheelchair that he finally got a job, but I was originally a bit shocked that he wasn't entitled to anything to begin with. Although once again that would've been down to the family to help him out.

The woman however is a prime example of everything that is wrong with the current welfare system. Watching her was painful as for me it was obvious that she was acting up. It was like watching a Biff on a PFT who 'sprained and ankle' to explain their lack of fitness. Self diagnosing a damaged thumb so she couldn't operate a pair of scissors. She quite obviously fell into the category of 'It's easier to stay at home.'


Why with the reduction of physical work like coal mining and shipbuilding are we getting more work related injuries?

 

If you injured yourself down the mine they'd find you a job on the pit top, maybe just charging up the lamps, working in the stores, you wouldn't be getting a claim.

 

Because you can claim compo for one and it's normally cheaper for the employer to settle out of court.

 

It contributed to Britain's "downfall" because we tried to walk before we could run with it, we were as skint, if not skinter post WWII than many of the formerly occupied nations. But we pretended to have a land fit for heroes, pretended to be a world power and pretended to still have an Empire. We fooled nobody but ourselves.

The rest of Europe played it cool, accepted that they need to rebuild and that it would take time and not a little pain.

That's why they almost all have more generous welfare systems today than we do. They can afford to.

 

Did anyone watch the later programme about Germany?

 

I'm not sure we are getting more injuries then in the old days.
Perhaps we just have to log things more now.
As a first aider I had fill a report in everytime the medical box was used, didn't have to years a go though.

 

Less training, worse fitness, higher work speeds (I did forestry work in the late 70s and my mates were all fecking slow movers) temporary employment, much less tolerance for chronic pain.

A lot of it's back injuries and mental problems, some are no doubt faked but folk doing heavy lifting do bugger themselves up. Stress levels are probably much higher in many occupations. A alienated existence without the comforts of religion, community, compensated for with joyless debt fueled consumerism in a low mobility, highly inequality society also may not be great for the soul.

 

It's not just in the UK. I read a thing a while back about native Septics attempting to replace semi-skilled Mexican field hands who had self deported because of new state laws brought in to make them do just that. Many of those that turned up just couldn't stick the pace and often injured themselves. These people were far from lazy but you need some fitness and some basic skills to make field work safe and keep the level of discomfort tolerable.

 

You mean like Pawnee or Apache?