The Gift of Financial Mis-Management

The news in the UK is dominated, day by day, by speculation and announcements about government cuts.  There is no doubt they are happening, and that they will be significant, nor that they are required.

How, how far and when the reductions in spending are made has been disputed, but by grasping the nettle as it has done, this new government is enabling the greatest review and reform of every part of British life probably since 1945.    For decades there has been apathy and complacency as a post-war structure of services has been perpetuated without fundamental examination as to if it is working and if it is relevant for the new era.

I wonder if this real "think the unthinkable" examination would have happened if the UK had not found itself in such dire financial straits?  I suspect not, whichever party was in government, largely because of the effort involved and the hostile reaction of voters.  The British people understand there is a huge debt problem and that something must be done, and so this is the best opportunity to achieve painful but revolutionary change for half a century.

Good comes out of everything, and everything is for a reason, as you have heard me say many times.   Yes, the next few years are going to hurt and there will be opposition, but the financial mis-management of Britain and other countries may prove to be a great opportunity for reform, and a gift to be thankful for.