This paper by Anna Coote, published today, is quite simply the best statement on big society yet, IMHO.
In her presentation at today's launch, she emphasised that big society cannot be seen as separate from the public spending cuts:
'Big society and the cuts are all about replacing paid with unpaid labour.'
'When things go wrong, there is a grave risk that we shall only hear the voices of those who can shout loudest or whip up the most colourful media outrage.'
'We must not undermine the support systems already out there'.
The main concern of most civil society organisations, she argues, is that 'efforts to reduce the deficit will undermine the very networks and groups that are most needed as life gets tougher for those who are already the most disadvantaged.'
Coote's conclusion was that:
'The cuts make the best ideals of the big society impossible to realise.'
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