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NEWS AND VIEWS THAT IMPACT LIMITED CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT

"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with
power to endanger the public liberty." - - - - John Adams

Friday, July 27, 2012

Conservatives urge children to spy on parents



1984 is not an instruction manual
The Conservative Party run British government is training students to be good taxpayers and supporters of Big Brother Government
  • Like the "Youth League" in George Orwell's 1984, government now trains youth to obey their Masters and pay their taxes. 


School children are being encouraged by HM Revenue and Customs to tell their teachers if they know of anyone "in their local area" who is not paying their fair share of taxes.

Some of the modules teach school children as young as 11 about paying their fair share of taxes.

From the UK Telegraph on Wednesday:
The revenue uses video, games, facts and quizzes to “help make teaching financial capability and citizenship issues relevant and engaging”, according to its website.

One module, headlined “tax responsibilities of a good citizen”, aims to help teenagers “understand the obligations if being a good citizen and discuss what should happen to hose who are not prepared to work under such obligations”.

One lesson plan – targeted at 14 to 16 year olds – requires students to “discuss whether it is good to pay the tax we do, considering the benefits we receive. If it is good, then why do people try not to pay?”

It continues: “Show class the remaining factfile slides on tax evasion. What do students think of those who refuse to pay tax or try and defraud the benefits system?

“Can they think of any example they may have heard of in their local area?”

A further “plenary session” asks: “What do students now think about paying taxes? In what other ways can we contribute to working together for a better society?

“What do students think about people who try to avoid paying taxes? Is it a victimless crime? What kind of penalties should such people be given when they are caught?”

The modules were criticised by thinktank Civitas. David Green, its director, said: "This sounds a bit too 'Big Brotherish'.  People 'in their local area' are most likely to be parents or close relatives. Turning children into state spies is un-British."



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'Frightened of your own children'
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"Nearly all children nowadays were horrible. What was worst of all was that by means of such organizations as the Spies they were systematically turned into ungovernable little savages, and yet this produced in them no tendency whatever to rebel against the discipline of the Party. On the contrary, they adored the Party and everything connected with it... All their ferocity was turned outwards, against the enemies of the State, against foreigners, traitors, saboteurs, thought-criminals. It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children."
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  - George Orwell, 1984, Book 1, Chapter 2

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