UK budget 2015 & In my lifetime Paris 1968

I'm not a fan of UK Chancellor George Osborne and am not totally sure if his motives are more political than they are altruistic with his first 'solo' (non-coalition) budget  but believe that the direction of travel outlined does have some potentially good outcomes.

Looking back on UK Government since 1939 there has been it appears looking back a high degree of intervention while this may be explainable it is perhaps not always the best method of allowing most of us to lead our own lives. (I can see an argument that even until near the end of the Thatcher Governments the UK was living in quasi- communist society)

The idea which this budget seems to challenge is that employers can (still even with a minimum wage) choose to allow the state to pick up the slack normalises an overarching 'dependency' culture epitomised  by such things as 'working credits' the idea that of a 'living wage' 'seems morally correct  for employers and it is a matter of some shame that some employers should dispute the idea.

A burning issue?

It does not to me that in a liberal society is should be necessary for those working 30+ hours a week should require tax credits and moves to end this by requiring employers to pay a living wage seems logical - of course it is not as simple as this and there are area that need addressing alongside this imperative but a good first step.

Paris 1968

Bauhaus-ian

Really excellent radio documentary  Philosophy in the Streets (from BBC World Service) that highlights much of what has been covered during Structuralism section on 20th Century Philosophers  in recent City Lit course - Paris was the centre of Philosophy - Sartre, Foucault and others on the streets! A month of unrest where ideas mattered - that is revolutionary.

What history teaches us should not be ignored and the idea of Philosophy being quite so exciting is tangible in this re-telling of May 1968