Many of us will know someone who has been caught up in or affected by the terrible events of recent days in South East Asia. A lot will have visited the region and will know of its environmental beauty and fragility. They will have encountered and now have been reminded of the charm, generosity and dignity of its peoples and of their values and their lifestyles. Such reactions and memories help to explain the inspiring outpouring of aid and empathy from all parts of the globe which will initially go to relief work.
However, it is now becoming very clear to us all that our initial donations will only go so far and will probably have little impact on the costs of reconstruction and protection from the effects of future catastrophes and natural disasters, let alone political events. Current citizens of the UK have suffered proportionately little in their lifetimes from natural disasters compared to those of Central Europe and the Middle East but our earth seems to be going through an active period of geophysical change which it would be imprudent to ignore. There is no longer any doubt that the ice caps are melting or that there are potentially enormous volcanic dangers off the west coast and in the northern mountain states of USA. Nor is the Atlantic in the clear. Well known and significant 'hot spots' exist around the Spanish and Portuguese islands off West Africa. An eruption epicentred there could well affect us!
Our future lies with ourselves as much as in the hands those of those who govern us. We may comment on the meanness of governments and the UN but in western societies at least, state income derives mainly from the receipt o f taxes from the populace. They have only our money to spend! Big business is vastly different. So far, several UK corporations who count their annual profits in billions have made proportionately minuscule contributions to the current appeals. Why? The difference between the biggest and smallest disposable incomes in this country is among the largest in the developed world and growing annually yet the tax burden for corporations and individuals is one of the smallest outside the USA. Why ? Here is an opportunity for the readjustment of budgeting priorities and a reassessment of tax raising.
Whilst the date of the next election is too close to encompass radical change there is the opportunity for copper-bottomed statements of intent to be included in the coming manifesto. Discussion and straight talk with interested parties and especially the voters, could take us forward. Tony Blair's promises to Africa and Gordon Brown's wishes on debt cancellation show that the ideas are there, but will they have the courage to act upon them ?