Tag: NHS

Marx discusses how the life expectancy of the workers in 1850s UK was very low considering the extent of the wealth their collective labour earned for the nation. Through a slow process of left-wing agitation and union activity – this low level (I believe just “40” in some areas) slowly began to rise, culminating in the 1948 founding of the Welfare State and NHS. This trend of improvement and growth continued until Thatcher in the mid-1980s when she switched the NHS from an ethos of “care” to “cost” – with the idea that the entire entity be privatised and transitioned into an exploitative US-style system. This unfolded parallel to the dismantling and reducing of the Benefit System, Social Housing, and effective Social Services – not to mention Elderly Care. All three main UK political parties – the Tories, Labour, and LibDems – have pursued this agenda at the behest of the US since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Indeed, out of all the richest and advanced (21) most developed countries in the West – the UK lies at “20” with the US at “21” when it comes to all-round life-expectancy. Undiagnosed and untreated illnesses, coupled with untreated or inadequately treated injuries and disabilities have led directly to early deaths (ailments that can be easily cured and/or controlled with proper treatment) – a trend that is increasing. In the capitalist West – people are dying of medical neglect surrounded by hospitals, by starvation surrounded by food, and exposure surrounded by housing, etc. It is a crime against humanity unfolding against the workers perpetuated by the bourgeoisie – who live longer due to their unhindered access to all the resources they control and gate-keep. Revolutions happen due to the need to forcibly re-distribute already existing ample levels of wealth and resources – as the bourgeoisie always refuses to share on a voluntary basis. This is the practice of basic class interests!