What are the big global and national issues that you think you ought to understand better, but don't?

[MrsMerryHenry]

I am trying to come up with some ideas for my work!

E.g

• Who really controls the world - governments or corporations?
• How did the Israel/ Palestine conflict start in the first place?
• Why are women still struggling for equality with men?
• Why is the UK the lapdog of the USA?

etc.

TIA!

I'm going to try and find that Guardian article - when was it?

I went for an interview for a job in the philanthropies - these large US ones do huge projects like targets to eradicate cataracts in one country by x date - and they seems to be acheiving these goals.

Less of it in the UK.

and cherry yep with you re UK issues. Our state intervention increases and our social mobility decreases. I was shocked to hear that Sweden, a country which I thought had endless and universal benefits - has changed and only gives assistance for a fixed amount of time. We are bought up on a variety of benefits yet live in such an unequal society. And it transpires that UK university attendance has tailed off yet we value non academic education less than before.

I wonder what this radio programme is? Must be a series of some sort.

Our country is in a mess.

What about the things that have changed, though? The massive expansion in white-collar work post war, that absorbed all that upward social mobility, has ended, so where is the social mobility supposed to come from? Also, surely if social mobility is measured in being in a higher social-economic class than, your parents, well - at some point that MUST stop changing, and upward social mobility drops? Rather like endless productivity rises and rises in GdP in earlier posts?

Donotpresstheredbutton - do you think your man next door could direct us to somewhere to read about it objectively? I don't quite understand the middle east at all.

How the government finances are really run? Who gets these figures from where about what costs what and how changing things continually will save money?

Also, how do we really expect developing countries to develop if we wont let then have the same freedoms as us on environmental issues but at the same time are not willing to make radical enough changes ourselves and share with developing countries? The double standard is unbelievable.

I think that social mobility means that where there is upward mobility some will need to go down too.

I'm not sure that education = more economic freedom however - well certainly not in my case

tryingherbest - that article? This year sometime - eeek! That's how disorganised I am! Sorry.

I'd love an overview of political groups, the main UK ones - when did they start? why? what are their long term aspirations / values?

How embarassing...... .....

All of it.....

Interestingly, R4 did commission a programme called Why Is Africa Still Poor? Not sure if it's been broadcast yet but you could search on their website.