What should a civilised society look like?
‘Who am I to answer?’, I thought. A working class lass from the North of England! I hear the words bandied about by politicians. What do they really mean though? I’m going to try and explain in my own words.
It should not look like MPs voting for power instead of people’s interests.
It should not be over 1 million children in the UK living in destitution.
It should not be a rise of 24% in rural homelessness.
It should not be 22% of our population plunged into poverty while profits of big business skyrocket.
What should it be then?
Democratic. Safe. I haven’t given up hope that it can be so much more than it is.
It should be grassroots movements having power to make the country a better place.
It should be more power amongst marginalised groups.
The right to strike for better conditions. A free healthcare system. The arts being able to, well…. do art. I could say so much more.
For me, civil society should be all the things I fear are being challenged. It is time to rethink civil society; not for the 1% but for the 99% whose lives are increasingly pushed over the edge.
Joanne Coates – Photographer