Emergency Reflections on Political Philosophy

[Philosophy Now]

Raymond Tallis exposes a disintegration of democracy.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/105/Em ... Philosophy

[marjoram_blues]

Neither the privatisation of the NHS, nor the values that are being trampled on in the process, have been properly discussed in the mainstream media. Most journalists (or ‘churnalists’) swallowed and regurgitated government press releases. The publicly-funded BBC has avoided probing too deeply, for fear of reprisals when the licence fee renewal has to be approved by government. These failures of what Burke named the Fourth Estate (the news media) have contributed to what (to change philosopher) Friedrich Engels described as ‘false consciousness’. It explains why many will have voted for parties that may bring about their financial ruin, or that of their children, if they are foolish enough to fall ill.

The money men, who know the price of everything and the value of nothing, rule more and more of our lives. Democracy is dying. Hence my radicalisation. If my impotent rage lands me in jail, I might, like Bertrand Russell, see it as an opportunity to spend more time on philosophy.

© Prof. Raymond Tallis 2014

Raymond Tallis was a professor of medicine for 20 years and an NHS doctor for 38 years. Along with Jacky Davis he co-edited the book NHS SOS: How The NHS Was Betrayed And How We Can Save It (Oneworld 2013).

[marjoram_blues]

You may think that I ought to grow up. Politics & lies go together like gin & tonic. The reason I won’t ‘just get over it’ is because the selling of the NHS has exposed the extent of Britain’s progression to a banana republic. A shocking proportion of those who shaped the HSCA, and of those who voted it onto the statute books, stood to gain personally from the expansion in private health care. This included dozens of the peers and MPs who supported the Act through its difficult passage into law. Parliamentarians and advisers morphed into lobbyists for, and executives of, companies selling healthcare. Ministers and civil servants glided back and forth through revolving doors connecting public and private sectors.

There could be worse to come. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – a huge treaty between the EU and the USA – is being negotiated. TTIP will make competition for all services mandatory. Not one bit of the NHS will be safe from privatisation. A key part of TTIP is the Investment State Disputes Settlement,which will allow healthcare entrepreneurs to sue governments if they believe their profits have been harmed by government decisions. Under the terms of a similar treaty, a tobacco giant whose products have killed millions of people and harmed many others is currently suing the Australian government for the plain packaging legislation which they believe has damaged their sales, particularly to young people – which is true, and was the whole point of the legislation.

And that is why your columnist has taken to the streets and even (God help us) Twitter (something that I fear Wittgenstein would not have approved of); why he is writing and distributing leaflets, filling envelopes, knocking on doors, and generally being a pest. But, you will be glad to know, he has not entirely given up philosophical thinking.

Excellent stuff. What happened next?

[marjoram_blues]

Really - after 'taking to the streets', what happened next?
Where is Tallis at now?
People need to know. Post-election.