Comments on: Why are so many people unhappy? http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2007/09/why-are-so-many-people-unhappy.htm Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:02:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Lynne http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2007/09/why-are-so-many-people-unhappy.htm/comment-page-1#comment-666 Lynne Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:31:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=1344#comment-666 I agree we need to be careful as regards the role of the state - but which of the specific policies I've suggested do you disagree with? I agree we need to be careful as regards the role of the state – but which of the specific policies I’ve suggested do you disagree with?

]]> By: Tristan http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2007/09/why-are-so-many-people-unhappy.htm/comment-page-1#comment-665 Tristan Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:17:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp28/?p=1344#comment-665 I disagree.<br/><br/>The state is not a tool for making people happy, it tries this and it fails. What the state should do is leave people alone to pursue their own happiness.<br/><br/>People should mistrust the state, it is that which prevents the worst excesses of the state, although it has turned to apathy in the UK which allows this government to get away with abusing the people of this country.<br/><br/>The decline is not one from Thatcher, it is from the socialistic consensus which led the state to try and take on the functions of community.<br/><br/>Thatcher was right (and liberal) when she said society does not exist because what she meant was there is no such thing as society as a whole which can be manipulated by government, which can be made happy.<br/><br/>Community is a far better term for what people often mean by society. I suppose Society could be the community of all communities, but then it extends to the whole world... I disagree.

The state is not a tool for making people happy, it tries this and it fails. What the state should do is leave people alone to pursue their own happiness.

People should mistrust the state, it is that which prevents the worst excesses of the state, although it has turned to apathy in the UK which allows this government to get away with abusing the people of this country.

The decline is not one from Thatcher, it is from the socialistic consensus which led the state to try and take on the functions of community.

Thatcher was right (and liberal) when she said society does not exist because what she meant was there is no such thing as society as a whole which can be manipulated by government, which can be made happy.

Community is a far better term for what people often mean by society. I suppose Society could be the community of all communities, but then it extends to the whole world…

]]>