The growing role of market forces in government may strengthen consumerism. This will be due to a bigger choice in services available, encouraging us to view health and education as consumer products. Individuals will look at the government and judge them on whether their services are good at meeting consumer demands; this has already started to happen. Alternatively personal needs of each individual will be the main focus with a personalisation agenda supporting citizen values.
According to an article published by tomorrow’s project, public services will increasingly compete in a global market. Some state schools may recruit pupils from abroad to broaden their pupil mix and support from the local economy, this enables them to get more money and benefits for their school. Similar changes are likely to follow in the health sector, for example disabled people offered a personal budget to spend on household care as they see fit, rather than having to accept the forms of care offered by the state. People are increasingly travelling further a field for surgery to get the best offer.
A question of the internet affecting company taxation has been put up. There has been strong opposition to taxing transactions on the net, however new forms of online taxation will probably be developed. Using the US as an example, Robert Solow, Brad DeLong, Robert Hormats and Bob Kerrey a panel from the New School University have debated this question, forecasting the following. A consumption tax is likely to come; Robert Shapiro predicts firstly a carbon tax (see figure 9) to address global warming and secondly a tax to solely pay for medical costs.
Figure 9: Possible costs of a new carbon tax
Countries will definitely have to pull together in the future to co-operate on issues. For example they will need to work together to solve global issues such as terrorism, although countries like America and China are still likely to make up their own rules. This co-operating will require governments to widen their networking, as decision making becomes more complicated and time consuming.
Security measures will also be increased by the year 2027, with aspects of everyday life being monitored. A researched article written by Paul Lashmar, published by the Guardian suggests that checks like taking urine and blood samples will be in force in the workplace with follow up messages and advice in email inboxes. For example, there has already been a recent ruling by the House of Lords that allows the police to take DNA samples of suspects even if they are not charged. He believes alongside many others that the increased threat of terrorism and the want for the protection of children has been used as the reason for this level of privacy invasion. Simon Davies, of Privacy International is concerned that this increasing level of government surveillance will compromise are privacy.
“The default has clearly shifted from privacy to surveillance. Almost all large government projects attempt to compromise the right of privacy.”
The political shift over the past twenty years is definitely paving the way for a new open future. Conor Gearty, the director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights at the London School of Economics is worried that we will spiral towards Big Brother (see figure 10) and the repressive state. Today’s government anti-crime legislation could be the base of our futures repressive state and as the government is coming under more threat this could raise global tension. This therefore putting the question of Britains security under scrutiny.
Figure 10: Fears of a big brother reality
For many though the most important aspect of this change will be overwhelming surveillance rather than political control. For example if you have a weight problem the government could in the future have the power to limit what food you buy.
As well as the government the new advances in technology is allowing for new measures of security (see figure 11). For example facial recognition for CCTV is in its early stages but has already been tested in London, along with gene surveillance. All this amazing technology will be at the service of the government in the future.
Figure 11: could increased security prove too much?
