I used to buy a copy on my way to work when I lived in London. Then felt guilty saying “no thanks” to the five other sellers along my way.
Interesting to read about John Bird’s reasons to launch the magazine and his political views, basically a hard-core neoliberal.
The last two paragraphs neatly sums up the problem with his views:
> Today, the UK is more unequal than ever with millions of people in poverty and thousands of people sleeping rough on the streets. What further proof could there be that The Big Issue is not the solution in the absence of state intervention?
> The Big Issue may offer a lifeline to its vendors, but it does not offer them a platform nor does it demand the kind of social change necessary to abolish homelessness. It’s dependent on the very problem it seeks to alleviate.
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I used to buy a copy on my way to work when I lived in London. Then felt guilty saying “no thanks” to the five other sellers along my way.
Interesting to read about John Bird’s reasons to launch the magazine and his political views, basically a hard-core neoliberal.
The last two paragraphs neatly sums up the problem with his views:
> Today, the UK is more unequal than ever with millions of people in poverty and thousands of people sleeping rough on the streets. What further proof could there be that The Big Issue is not the solution in the absence of state intervention?
> The Big Issue may offer a lifeline to its vendors, but it does not offer them a platform nor does it demand the kind of social change necessary to abolish homelessness. It’s dependent on the very problem it seeks to alleviate.