Upward mobility

Published on 16/07/2012 00:00

Among the many things over which it is considered essential for the Anglo-American bien pensant to hyperventilate, the lack of social mobility holds a special place holds a special place.

Yet it is hardly surprising children find it increasingly difficult to rise from the bottom because every institution that might alleviate their plight has become defective.

Of course the part they played in the decline of such institutions by endlessly rubbishing the family, grammar schools and voluntary organisations is studiously ignored, instead the finger is pointed at right-wing individualism with its distrust the state and that fount of all evil, the pushy middle class mother reading to her children.

It could, however, be argued the society we have today is the product of Keynesian crony-capitalism, a ‘one size fits all’ educational system and cradle-to-grave welfarism.

Dr JOHN CAMERON

Howard Place
St Andrews