"I know that my first task of government is to reduce the deficit and debt and aid economic recovery. This is my duty. But what is my mission? What really fascinates me? "Thus begins the speech by David Cameron in the Valentine's Day. A speech that marked the European public arena in the past week. A speech necessary to give some answers to the many criticisms of the Big Society.
"We need to devolve more power to local governments so that the people can do more and get more power"
And Cameron has tried to defend himself. "I'm passionate about social rebirth as well as the economic one - said Cameron. If it is true that society is fragmented, families are fragmented, the level of crime has increased as well as membership in criminal gangs, the problems are concentrated in the welfare of the people and the difficulty of the work, although some of our Public services are not working as it should - this is for me this has to do with the Big Society. According to the British prime minister, the word that is at the heart of all this is responsibility. "We need people to assume more responsibility." He gives the example of the fight against crime. Sure, the government has a huge role: to the police on the streets, to ensure certainty of judgments, secure and available to prisons. "But you can not fight crime without the community help us to ensure their safety."
But as Cameron responds to major criticism?
project too vague?
First, there are many who accuse the project of the Big Society for being too vague. Cameron acknowledges that "there is no single policy that will unroll for this purpose throughout the country." But the reason is that initiatives be taken to cut across several policy areas and go in different directions. "First of all - says Cameron - we need to devolve more power to local governments, and beyond them, so the people can do more and get more power. " Secondly, "we must open up public services, making them less monolithic, telling people: if you want to start a new school, you can do, if you want to create a cooperative or a mutual benefit society for health services, you can do." In essence, the civil society organizations should say: "If you want to expand and replicate yourself across the country, we want you to do it." Third, Cameron adds, "we have more charitable donations and more volunteers in our country."
Cover cuts
But there is a second critical question widespread among the people: "Ok, this speech is not so vague, but this is only a cover for cuts in public spending, is not it?"
Cameron defends himself: "It's not a cover. Look for and build a bigger and stronger is a good thing. Whatever happens to public spending. " The argument used by the British prime minister is this: "Any prime minister today should lead to cuts in public spending. And then, having to take these cuts, however, is not it better that you are looking at the same time to encourage a larger and stronger company? If there are services that the state can no longer afford we should not try to encourage and help communities that want to offer themselves and manage themselves? We are launching the Big Bank Society and we are providing 200 million pounds from banks. We are setting up a fund so that transitional support those organizations that need resources in this difficult phase. "
cuts weaken the Big Society?
Third criticism: it may be that this story is a cover for cuts, but cuts will make the construction of a larger company much more difficult. At this point, Cameron's answer: "Obviously there is no area that can be immune from the problems of public expenditure we face, but if you look at what is now the central government is doing, we are creating things that will make possible the big society ". An initial commitment of the British government will be the formation of other 5 000 community organizers to help build the Big society. "I do not think you can simply withdraw the rule and, therefore, the Society Big miraculously rises," says Cameron. "There are exceptional people in this country who are building large community organizations and social enterprises, but the government should also play a catalytic and facilitating role to help build up the Big Society. But the Big
Society exists
But there is one more critical. Many British claim that it is just rhetoric. In fact, everything about the government is nothing new. This is what happens already. Cameron is just trying to attribute the good work that people are already doing. "My answer is: yes, it is true, is not completely new," Prime Minister defends itself. Admits that "the idea of \u200b\u200bcommunity that acquire more control, more volunteers, more donations to charities, social enterprises taking a greater role, people who start their own public utility services - all these things are happening in our country. All these things have happened in our country for years. " So what? Cameron poses more questions: "we must try to do more? How can we encourage these efforts? How can we play all over the country? How can we make this country a fantastic place for a new charitable work, for a new social enterprise, to enlarge the supply of public services? Yes, this is not entirely new, but represents a new approach to government: instead of thinking in Whitehall to have all the answers, what can we do to help build a society stronger? "
Passion and distrust
For Cameron this is
an "absolute passion". "I think this is a different way of governing, a new way to try to change our country for the better. I'll put all my passion in this endeavor. But above all things, everything will depend on the people, because that is the initiative to build our agenda of work. " So much for the beautiful views of the British prime minister. A passionate defense, however, that many still look askance. Meanwhile, on February 24 will be held in Rome, at a conference organized by the Society Big Ceide Foundation and Rome (with the support, among others Cittadinanzattiva). The main guest is Nat Wei, social entrepreneur and member of the House of Lords, a major player in the draft Big Society. It will be interesting, meanwhile, listen to so direct and authoritative source. Pending the trial of the facts.
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