23.9 Welfare must be fair to the taxpayer and those who work

We can only truly help those in need if welfare is wisely discriminating. No right-thinking person New Magna Carta Mediumwould resent paying taxes to care for those sincerely in need such as the sick or elderly. Those who are wealthy and those who pay little tax can afford to be generous with other people’s money. However, the majority have to work hard, often doing a job that they don’t want to do and living on a tight budget. Welfare must be fair to those who work to pay for it as well as to those who receive it. It isn’t acceptable that people who could work, contribute, volunteer or care for others choose to stay at home and live off the work of others. It is not right that those who work hard for a basic quality of life should see others, who could work or contribute, living at their expense. The welfare system must ensure that work, discipline and sacrifice pays off. The more you work, the more you should be rewarded. Unfortunately, our democratic debates on the subject are riddled with victim-perpetrator-rescuer consciousness. Those who are stuck in victim consciousness vote for more entitlement. Naïve rescuers vote to make themselves feel good by spending other people’s money on a benefit system that doesn’t discriminate wisely. Those who are selfish and callous think that all recipients of benefits are spongers and want to throw out good welfare with the bad. The true victims of victim consciousness are those people who really need our help, but are currently not getting it because of the freeloading of others. Every nation is grappling with this challenge. One possibility is simply to ensure that everybody receives the basic necessities of life, whoever they are, and to allow everyone to enjoy the benefits of their own work or entrepreneurial activity over and above that.