The Big Society... Mel Stride MP considers the importance of the extended family

By Richard_Penny | Monday, March 07, 2011, 12:20

Okehampton's MP Mel Stride writes...

East End families were split up when they moved into high-rise blocks

"I spoke in a Commons debate on The Big Society last week. In underlining its importance I cited a remarkable Socialist.

Michael Young was one of the authors of the 1945 Labour Party manifesto. He spent 3 years after the war interviewing households in Bethnal Green.* He was studying poverty. He found plenty of that of course – Bethnal Green was a poor borough. But, along with the deprivation, Young found something that surprised him – it was exemplified by a conversation he recorded with a young boy who had just joined a local school. The boy told Young that his teacher had asked him to draw his family. He had drawn his mother, father and brother. “But isn’t it funny,” he told Young, “the others were putting in their nannas and aunties and uncles and all sorts of people like that.” And that was the point, in Bethnal Green there was a community based on families. In one street of 58 houses, Young found that 38 of them contained someone who had a family member in another home in the same road. The community here, with its extended families, was something that we might more readily associate with parts of modern day Southern Europe; Greece or Italy perhaps.

Despite Young the centralised planners set about Bethnal Green with bulldozers and high-rise blocks were thrown up and people displaced and put in buildings where the lifts broke down, stairwells stank and the elderly locked themselves in at night. It was to be, in part, the well meaning housing policies of the state that were to put an end to that living community that was Bethnal Green.

In later years they blew up many post war high-rises. In some cases watched by the same dignitaries who had cut the ribbon when they declared them complete. Their destruction, a testament to an age-old truth that the quest to create a stronger and better society cannot be left to the planners, to the bureaucracies, to the well-meaning architects of the state, but should be gifted to those for whom the consequences of success or failure are most keenly felt. To individuals, families and communities. In what we might now call The Big Society."

* The study of poverty Mel refers to is Family and Kinship in East London by Michael Young and Peter Wilmott. If you are interested in how families have changed over the years, it's well worth reading.

Do we still have extended families in rural Devon? Does it help children to have two or three generations living close together?

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Comments

All Governments are more extreme than most people realise. While not attempting to wind you up - the last Labour Government was the most extreme in living memory. I found it oppressive and I have a feeling that many others did as well. The Police do not need any more powers. They have become ineffective because they have so many, they do not appear which ones to use first. The effort put into Operation Malone does not reflect the policing we are used to. The aim of which seems to be in criminalising as many young people as possible and punishing them for being part of a demonstration. Yes I have many ideas - but commenting on matters that arise takes much of my available time.

By pobox112 at 11:12 on 29/03/11
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its not that I dont get the answers I want. Its that I dont get answers at all.I want you to say what you want, what you believe in. Ive heard plenty of what you are against.It is a difficult thing to take a stand. It leaves you vulnerable . Because if you say what you believe in, it can be criticised and taken apart. Ive read your comments and think you have a good eye for the injustice in the world. Speak and you will be listened to. But dont just criticise , lets hear your ideas.
If I show the labour party in a bad light it only proves that you can be an individual within a greater society. Im an anarchist at heart but I think their is a good affiliation to be made with Ed Millibands labour party. It speaks a language I can cope with, and Its well organised with lots of motivated people from way over on the left to people more in the middle. I find more friends on the left but appreciate that we are all fighting something very destructive. This Government is much more extreme than people realise.Today they where offering the police unprecedented stop and search powers as a result of the mainly peaceful protest in London . They would be allowed to ban protests , and remove face coverings. Dawn raids and arrest without evidence . You must be awake to these signifies of a government at war with its people. The differences between us are small in comparison , I only want to bring you out of your lethargy , sniping from the sidelines . I dont want to offend you. im sorry , please tell me your ideas.
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By dominichills at 00:49 on 29/03/11
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dominichills: You ask questions, seek opinions and when you do not get the answer you want. You start to berate people. This brings no credit to the Labour Party.

By pobox112 at 15:09 on 28/03/11
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Its a simple idealogical question.
Do you believe in free market economics ....That through competition, destroy beuracratic processes and provide a streamlined efficient , and ultimately cheeper service to the customer ?
If so vote Tory because this is what they believe in.
But before you do look at the evidence in your electricity bill.
Waiting for private companies to self regulate themselves into goodness, seems to be failing...I cant think why.They have done this to the Power companies, now they are doing it to the NHS. This is real its happening. Your sniping position may make you feel important, but it will do nothing. Its childish and gives you the godlike position of omnipotence. If you never "join the club, that would have you" , you can never be wrong. But now is the time for action. Which side are you on boy, which side are you on?

By dominichills at 14:42 on 28/03/11
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Labour should have got the Quango that was regulating electricity costs to do their job. Look below the surface and not appear to be wining and dining with the electricity companies. Then going to bed with them.

By pobox112 at 18:01 on 27/03/11
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