Robin Burton asked the question. In the wake of Trump and his ‘Make America Great Again’ (which seems to do exactly the opposite and should be MATLSOTW – Make America The Laughing Stock Of the World). Certainly, seeing someone as uncouth and ignorant as Trump getting elected says something about America.
It raise the question – what is a Great Society?
To me, in order to be considered GREAT a society needs the following criteria:
- To protect its citizens
- To promote an equal society in which all people of whatever colour, race, gender or religion are valued
- To be tolerant
- To be outward-looking
- To protect nature and value the natural world
- To be honest and extinguish nepotism, corruption, unfairness, racism, sexism and gross inequality
- To help the rest of the world develop
- To allow individual freedom, expression of views, expression of religion
- To allow freedom of speech while combating hate speech
- To remove all violence, aggression or belligerence
- To have a non-aggressive foreign policy
- To provide the basic needs for all people – food, water, power, clean air, health care, homes, support during sickness and old age and maternity
- To provide excellent education for all
- To provide power through sustainable means
- Not to pollute or produce harm to the natural world and to respect the wonders around us
- To promote awe and wonder
- To police in a way that is conducive to the local community
- To tax fairly in order to pay for quality services and infrastructure
- To ensure that the rich and powerful do not exert undue influence or gain advantage, but are treated equally
- To have a justice system that does not discriminate against any group nor favour any group and applies justice fairly and reasonably.
- To have politicians who are accountable and held responsible for their actions
- To have a media that is unbiased and holds all those in power to account
- To provide an environment that is safe for its citizens, healthy, clean and respects people, property, animals and all nature.
- To have fair work conditions with generous hours, holidays, fair pay and sickness benefits.
- To have a basic level of income for all
- To have a welfare system that provides for those in need
- To have pensions so that people can live to a reasonable level in old age
- To provide the spiritual well-being of its citizens
- To have a transport system that is efficient, cheap and clean
I have probably missed out loads but at least it gets the ball rolling.
Looking at my list I think the UK fails on a number of issues but the USA fails on most and what Trump is promoting makes everything worse.
Make America Great Again seems to only look at making the rich richer the rest is a con.