NFR--Britons never, never, never will be slaves?????

[LordNelson]

 English History, 1914-1945 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1970):

Until August 1914 a sensible, law-abiding Englishman could pass through life and hardly notice the existence of the state, beyond the post office and the policeman. He could live where he liked and as he liked. He had no official number or identity card. He could travel abroad or leave his country for ever without a passport or any sort of official permission. He could exchange his money for any other currency without restriction or limit. He could buy goods from any country in the world on the same terms as he bought goods at home. For that matter, a foreigner could spend his life in this country without permit and without informing the police. Unlike the countries of the European continent, the state did not require its citizens to perform military service. An Englishman could enlist, if he chose, in the regular army, the navy, or the territorials. He could also ignore, if he chose, the demands of national defence. Substantial householders were occasionally called on for jury service. Otherwise, only those helped the state who wished to do so. The Englishman paid taxes on a modest scale: nearly £200 million in 1913-14, or rather less than 8 per cent. of the national income. ... broadly speaking, the state acted only to help those who could not help themselves. It left the adult citizen alone.   :012:

[Peabody]

That is of course, if the said Englishman did'nt live in a hovel, or did'nt earn enough to buy a loaf of bread, or had to use an outside lavortory, did'nt have a bathroom, or had to share a bedroom with his children. Or had to get up at 4in the morning to go and work for 10, 12, 14 hours, did'nt have a paid holiday. Had to have money to pay for his medical needs. Yes indeed England was paradise for your type of Englishman. Oh yes, you did say that the state helped those who could'nt help themselves, which constituted the vast majority of our citizens. Suggest you recheck your English history.

[LordNelson]

Mate, it's just an observation that I did not author.  It's from a history book--hence the citation to OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.  I thought it was an interesting perspective.   S001.gif

[Peabody]

Sorry, but you never made that clear but then again, I am a bit stupid.

[YankeeJim]

It is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Likewise , the road to slavery is paved with the "good" intentions of governance. The same government which did worthwhile things such as Peabody mentioned also doesn't know when to stop. It's the nature of some to want to enslave his fellow man. Sadly, this is usually the type of person who runs for office.

[King_Crud]

That is of course, if the said Englishman did'nt live in a hovel, or did'nt earn enough to buy a loaf of bread, or had to use an outside lavortory, did'nt have a bathroom, or had to share a bedroom with his children. Or had to get up at 4in the morning to go and work for 10, 12, 14 hours, did'nt have a paid holiday. Had to have money to pay for his medical needs. Yes indeed England was paradise for your type of Englishman. Oh yes, you did say that the state helped those who could'nt help themselves, which constituted the vast majority of our citizens. Suggest you recheck your English history.

interesting use of the word "didn't"

[Peabody]

So my grammar is wrong as well

[jarv]

My dear Lord,
interesting comment but get a few lefties on here and this could quickly be locked. My lips are sealed. :hook:

[Peabody]

Leftie and proud of it.

[ImperialWhite]

Leftie and proud of it.

+1

Agree with your sentiments exactly.

The right: "I have my privilege and want to keep it -  the unlucky and the unfortunate can be damned".

[sipwell]

Leftie and proud of it.

+1

Agree with your sentiments exactly.

The right: "I have my privilege and want to keep it -  the unlucky and the unfortunate can be damned".

+2

[Rupert]

Actually, if you leave the politics out for a moment, that initial statement is absolutely correct. You could go abroad without a passport or permission, and not just the wealthy off on the grand tour, think about the huddled masses who took off for the USA or Australia, often the local land/factory owners would rather have them stay and be exploited over here, rather than have them exploited by foreigners instead.
It was far from being some sort of idyllic garden of Eden, or Jerusalem rebuilt on English soil, and of course there was no safety net of the welfare state, instead you had the workhouse. However, even allowing for the numerous horror stories about those places (mostly true) they did serve a purpose, and they did it well. No workshy mums and dads with twelve kids in those days (oops, getting political, stop now).
From our 21st Century perspective we can wring our hands and lament the lot of our forebears, from their point of view it was the way things were, and they got on with it. I wonder how people will look on our society in 100 years from now?

[Gozorich]

Leftie and proud of it.

+1

Agree with your sentiments exactly.

The right: "I have my privilege and want to keep it -  the unlucky and the unfortunate can be damned".

+2

+3

'In a rotten society it is the elite who start the rot'

[LordNelson]

Author of the book was A.J.P. Taylor--big time lefty.

[FatFreddysCat]

If the right are to silenced then shouldn't the left?

[LordNelson]

As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents.
George Orwell

[LBNo11]

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History can be interpreted however people prefer, cast iron facts are disputed, crazy theories are taken as fact, much of this is stems from political preferences. This thread is political and as far as we can we keep politics off of this board as it leads to future problems.

There are plenty of political forums out there, knock yourselves out...