[Newton's Ring]

Ok so there's a lot of Global competition now but I reckon we've still got what it takes - how do you think we can rise like a phoenix from the flames? How can Britain become Great again? Maybe not in the same way as in the past but how do you envisage jobs for many whilst still remaining profitable? Or is it possible?

Engineering? Industry? Technology? Film? Service?! Or something different?

[pandemic]

Need a can do attitude, confident people.
People need to stop moaning, unless they have solutions to offer.
People who actually care about Science, Engineering, Maths, etc. Maybe they should scrap uni tuition fees for these subjects.
Rid ourselves of the chav culture maybe :P
Reward those who work hard, not those who laze about

[Newton's Ring]

Originally Posted by bla5er

Need a can do attitude...
People need to stop moaning, unless they have solutions to offer.

Yep, think it's a symptom of getting older but it doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere these days. Do sarcasm and cynicism need to be the British way? Our national export?

[Iccz]

Where did the "Great Britain" come from?

Was it "great" as in the size meaning when we had more land?

Or does the great come from something else?




I guess the question is more about being "great" in terms of being amazing etc.

I don't think it' that bad in comparison to a lot of countries, it's just the economy that's failing a bit, oh and society, and the weather, and the media... hmmm

[Newton's Ring]

Originally Posted by Iccz

the media... hmmm

The media might be killing us.

[loz]

Define "great", on what basis do you want to measure it? And what do you mean by "again"? A return to the days of the empire?

We in the UK might think we have many faults, but the UK is still "great" by many measures.
For example, if you look at GPD (using purchasing power parity) we are right there in the top 10. That is actually pretty impressive considering the geographic size and population of the UK. Are you proposing we become "great again" by rising up that list for example?

(however, given the drop in sterling we have probably sunk a few places in that list since it was compiled based on 2007 figures. But that just needs sterling to rise again...)

1. United States: $13,780,000,000,000.00
2. China: $7,099,000,000,000.00
3. Japan: $4,272,000,000,000.00
4. India: $2,966,000,000,000.00
5. Germany: $2,807,000,000,000.00
6. United Kingdom: $2,130,000,000,000.00
7. Russia: $2,097,000,000,000.00
8. France: $2,075,000,000,000.00
9. Brazil: $1,849,000,000,000.00
10. Italy: $1,800,000,000,000.00

Per capita we slip down to 12th, but only because some very small countries in comparison are very productive - such as Luxemboug

Or what about invention and innovation - that would be a good measure of greatness, and something we often thing about in terms of the victorian era and the great British inventions that swept the world.

Well, according to measures of "National innovative capacity" (the ability of a country to produce and commercialize a flow of innovative technology over the long term), the UK is still right up there according to The Global Competitiveness Report

1. United States: 30.3
2. Finland: 29.1
3. Germany: 27.2
4. United Kingdom: 27
5. Australia: 26.9
6. Netherlands: 26.9
7. Sweden: 26.9
8. Switzerland: 26.9
9. France: 26.8
10. Canada: 26.5
11. Israel: 26.5
12. Japan: 26.4

Or finally what about 2008 Olympic Medals? Beat that Australia...
Do you want us to rise to the top of that table in 2012?

1. China 51
2. United States 36
3. Russia 23
4. Great Britain 19
5. Germany 16
6. Australia 14
7. South Korea 13
8. Japan 9
9. Italy 8
10. France

Source NationMaster. A great resource to compare a huge variety of national statistics NationMaster - World Statistics, Country Comparisons

[loz]

Originally Posted by Iccz

Where did the "Great Britain" come from?

The name of the geographic feature.

Great Britain is the main island in the British Isles (which includes Ireland btw)

[Wild Weasel]

Yes, it's short for Greater Britian. It's not a superlative.

[brian s]

Were we ever that great?

Cheers
Bri

[Gordon B]

Personally I still think we are great. Wouldn't live anywhere else.

Sick and tired of people running our country down. Take a look around, there are far worse places to be.

/rant over.

[krish]

Originally Posted by bla5er

People who actually care about Science, Engineering, Maths, etc. Maybe they should scrap uni tuition fees for these subjects.

... and scrap all the Mickey Mouse degrees that won't even get you on a toilet cleaning apprenticeship at KFC

[Someguy]

Would you like to see Britannia rule again, my friend?

[Steven]

Originally Posted by brian s

Were we ever that great?

Cheers
Bri

How far back do you want to take the discussion?

[reddevil63]

Originally Posted by Newton's Ring

Ok so there's a lot of Global competition now but I reckon we've still got what it takes - how do you think we can rise like a phoenix from the flames? How can Britain become Great again? Maybe not in the same way as in the past but how do you envisage jobs for many whilst still remaining profitable? Or is it possible?

Engineering? Industry? Technology? Film? Service?! Or something different?

Respect and morals need to be brought back first of all!

[PJTX100]

Originally Posted by reddevil63

Respect and morals need to be brought back first of all!

Absolutely right.

Also, get rid of the "one eyed Scottish idiot" in charge!

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by brian s

Were we ever that great?

You obviously don't know your history.

[xit2050]

Originally Posted by loz

We in the UK might think we have many faults, but the UK is still "great" by many measures.

Source NationMaster. A great resource to compare a huge variety of national statistics NationMaster - World Statistics, Country Comparisons

Here's another one which shows the greatness from that link:
Total crimes by country

• 1 United States
  2 United Kingdom
  3 Germany
  4 France
  5 Russia
  6 Japan
  7 South Africa
  8 Canada
  9 Italy
  10 India

[IronGiant]

Find that stone with a bloody great sword stuck in it and make sure you choose the right person to pull it out

Dave

[dalethecaptain]

Im going to stick my neck out and say that Britain will only become great when we abolished the 'something for nothing' culture that is the welfare state. Its all ready been said we should reward hard workers and stamp out chav/wag culture, the only way to do this is remove the social cushion that is placed under those types.

I love my country, but the last five years I have noticed that a lot of people my age have become some of the most self absorbed I have ever met, and yet they really have nothing more to offer the world than ******** 'motivational management' speak, its not like we are talking a generation of science, technology or literature masters here, these are people that are well above station in life and need reminding of it.

Unfortunately, our stiff upper lip britishness prevents us from speaking out against this culture, and political correctness means we can't complain for fear of upsetting people, which leads the monocular Scottish idiot to think he can continue to saddle us with more legislation for our own protection and continue to spy on us for our own benefit. It makes me sick to think of the people that fought and died to bring the freedom I have to call the prime minister an utter moron (which he is) have done so in vain as our rights are eroded daily by an unelected leader and a bunch of dictatorial bureaucrats across the channel, most of whom I have never heard of.

The Government does not do anything well, therefore it should do as little as possible. The welfare state robs people of social mobility, encouraging the ****less to breed to support lifestyle instead of learning and earning and contributing to the country. Getting rid of the welfare state, the NHS and leaving the EU all together would to be a very good start.

'Minarchism' is the way forward. Small government = happy people.

[KhalJimbo]

Its one of things where its not going to change unless society itself changes. Same as global warming, its not going to slow down or stop or change even with the amount of new technologies and "green" living, unless society itself changes

[andykn]

Originally Posted by dalethecaptain

'Minarchism' is the way forward. Small government = happy people.

Care to give us an example where this works? It certainly doesn't in the US, huge poverty problems despite natural resources many times that of the UK with millions of people trapped in poverty. Hugely expensive health care, high crime seem to be the result of lower state intervention in the US.

[andykn]

Originally Posted by xit2050

Here's another one which shows the greatness from that link:
Total crimes by country

• 1 United States
  2 United Kingdom
  3 Germany
  4 France
  5 Russia
  6 Japan
  7 South Africa
  8 Canada
  9 Italy
  10 India

Oops indeed. Do you really think we have more crime than Russia or South Africa? Do you think Kenya is safer?

[xit2050]

Originally Posted by andykn

Oops indeed. Do you really think we have more crime than Russia or South Africa? Do you think Kenya is safer?

Oh, I see.
So you just choose to believe all figures from that link where the UK comes at the top in a positive way and negate those where it comes out at the top in a less positive way?

[tony brazao]

What makes Britain great is very subjective.

For me it's fairly clear we will need the US to recover before our economy recovers.

What would make Britain great for me, would be the following changes in law as there is a lack of respect in general for our fellow humans, there's an increase in stabbings, shootings and general crime. It is this lack of respect which makes Britain 'feel' like we're not great anymore. The cure:

• Get caught carrying a knife, 3 years in the army.
• Get caught with a gun, you obviously will like the army, 5 years.
• All jails ensure their inmates perform over 12 hours hard graft each day, even if it's just digging farmers fields. None of this sat on their bums playing x-box all day.
• Bring back corporal punishment in schools
• Death sentance for murder or rape or kiddy fiddling
• Police should be able to smack kids and then chuck them in jail
• No money given for single mums or mums who do not work, they will get free child care. If they refuse to work, they get zero money.
• If an immigrant is proved guilty of serious crime, they get deported back to their country.

Obviously there would be a degree of common sense for the above, for example, an electrician on his way to work getting caught with a swiss army knife will not go to jail

[andykn]

Originally Posted by xit2050

Oh, I see.
So you just choose to believe all figures from that link where the UK comes at the top in a positive way and negate those where it comes out at the top in a less positive way?

Answer the question.

Are you really suggesting that the UK has more crime than Russia, South Africa or Kenya?

I choose to believe credible figures and not incredible ones. Not terribly difficult to do with the figures presented.

And two out of 3 of the tables Loz presented had proper verifiable numbers in.

So, yes, whilst I did not watch every Olympic event, I do believe the medals table. Are you saying that's as unreliable as your hapless crime table?

[xit2050]

Originally Posted by tony brazao

• All jails ensure their inmates perform over 12 hours hard graft each day, even if it's just digging farmers fields. None of this sat on their bums playing x-box all day.
• Death sentance for murder or rape or kiddy fiddling
• Police should be able to smack kids and then chuck them in jail
• If an immigrant is proved guilty of serious crime, they get deported back to their country.

I agree with the above.
However, I don't approve of the following:

Originally Posted by tony brazao

• Get caught carrying a knife, 3 years in the army.
• Get caught with a gun, you obviously will like the army, 5 years.
  You're only going to train those that carry weapons to use them efficiently.
• Bring back corporal punishment in schools
  No stranger has the right to lay a hand on my child.
• No money given for single mums or mums who do not work, they will get free child care. If they refuse to work, they get zero money.
  Most single mums are single because their lousy husband/boyfriend left them (however, I do agree that is no excuse to not search for work)

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by tony brazao

The cure:

[LIST][*]Get caught carrying a knife, 3 years in the army.[*]Get caught with a gun, you obviously will like the army, 5 years.

I'm sure that we will all sleep easy in our beds in times of war knowing that all of the country's scum are fighting on our behalf

How long do you think the regular soldiers would hang around having to fight alongside that lot.

[*]Death sentance for murder or rape or kiddy fiddling

Which of course would be reversed when the girl later admitted that she made it up so that she wouldn't get into trouble with her father/boyfriend/husband

[*]No money given for single mums or mums who do not work, they will get free child care. If they refuse to work, they get zero money.

Force all single mothers to work and let them be replaced in the dole queue by others who wish to work but have just been made redundant in favour of employing a single mother instead

[xit2050]

Originally Posted by andykn

And two out of 3 of the tables Loz presented had proper verifiable numbers in.

Do you think the number 6,523,706 fell out of the sky?

[SyStemDeMoN]

I just feel really let down by the government.

I was made redundant at the end of November, so what has Mr. Brown done to help me get a job ?
Handing out money to companies that employ someone thats been out of work for over 6 months!!!

What about me ?!??!?!?!

Surley the majority of people that have been out of work for six months or more are just lazy *******s!

What about the people that have been out of work for less than 6 months ?? Aren't we the ones with a days work in us ? We are not out of work through choice.

I'm not saying all people that have been on the dole for more than 6 months are lazy. Some are genuine cases, some are in the same boat as me just been there longer.

I still haven't signed on, casue I get the odd days work for an agency.

How to make Britain great again ?

Stop the stupid amount of Political Correctness.
Stop the stupid amount of Health and safety.
START showing kids some discipline.
START punishing REAL crimes PROPERLY.
START making dole dossers earn the cash.
Legalise Cannabis (Puts doleys out of work, Creates Jobs and Introduces a tourism boom)
STOP taxing me so much for my petrol and START taxing the real enviromental hazrads, (such as HFC gases in air conditioning (12.5kg = 100,000 miles in a car))

Just my opinion of course

O and in MY Britain, all AV junkies will get a tax break to afford high end kit (Boosting Consumerism and getting the money flowing again)

[andykn]

Originally Posted by tony brazao

What makes Britain great is very subjective.

Not in all cases. The effects of corporal punishment by police and schools and that of capital punishment can be objectively studied. My understanding is that they have been and shown to be ineffective.

Objectively, introducing ineffective measures will not make Britain great again.

For me it's fairly clear we will need the US to recover before our economy recovers.

What would make Britain great for me, would be the following changes in law as there is a lack of respect in general for our fellow humans, there's an increase in stabbings, shootings and general crime. It is this lack of respect which makes Britain 'feel' like we're not great anymore. The cure:

• Get caught carrying a knife, 3 years in the army.
• Get caught with a gun, you obviously will like the army, 5 years.

• Not sure ruining the army will help much
  

  All jails ensure their inmates perform over 12 hours hard graft each day, even if it's just digging farmers fields. None of this sat on their bums playing x-box all day.

  I'm guessing you've never ben in a jail where you've spent all day playing x-box and you probably don't know anyone who has.
  
  My suggestion would be to make misleading news stories punishable by a jail term. The would make Britain great overnight.
  

  Bring back corporal punishment in schools

  Death sentance for murder or rape or kiddy fiddling

  Police should be able to smack kids and then chuck them in jail

  No money given for single mums or mums who do not work, they will get free child care. If they refuse to work, they get zero money.

  Work as what? There's only half a million jobs and 2 million jobless.
  
  And what do you mean by "free child care"?
  

  If an immigrant is proved guilty of serious crime, they get deported back to their country.

Already the law now.