So what are we to make of the government’s plans to reform the benefits system?
The Problem
We certainly seem to have a knack of making things overly complex.
Anyone of working age who is currently unemployed may be receiving any combination of up to five separate benefits (housing benefit, income support, council tax benefit, working tax credit and child tax credit), each administered through its own set of rules for when you become eligible or ineligible. This does not include benefits for people with particular needs such as disability benefit.
Moreover, there appears to be little if any coordination between them.
It would seem that each time the government becomes aware of a need that is not being addressed, the answer is to introduce a new, additional benefit, along with its own bureaucracy. Nobody wants to tinker with existing benefits because they cannot accurately determine the effect since so many people come to depend on them.
The problem that is being emphasised by Ian Duncan Smith is that when an unemployed person finds a job, the benefits are withdrawn in such a way that there is little or no financial benefit in working – hence the contentious statement that the benefit system traps people into unemployment.
Another aspect of the problem is the piecemeal way in which solutions are conceived and implemented. In general, few people who are unemployed or living in or near poverty can point to a single cause. Invariably there is a combination of factors and if they were all addressed in a coordinated way, they could result in much greater success than simply throwing money at the issues in the form of benefits.
A Better Way
The bible spells out a number of factors that lead to a healthy society. Correcting all of them is far from easy, not least because it almost seems as if there are influences actively working to undermine some of them. If instead we all actively promoted and supported them, we would at least be moving in the right direction.
Family
First is the family, which the bible sees as the very foundation of society. It must be stated right away that for all kinds of perfectly legitimate reasons it is not practical to suppose everyone can belong to a stable supportive family unit. However, where possible, strong families need to be encouraged and supported, in which children are taught how to be good citizens by responsible, loving parents.
The idea of families began right back at the dawn of the human race and has served us well throughout history. Modern experiments to substitute an alternative social unit or to allow family units to disintegrate have all failed miserably.
Work Ethic
Secondly, the bible teaches the work ethic. The simple rule is, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thes 3:10). Notice this refers to someone who “will not” work as distinct from someone who “cannot” work for whatever reason.
The original benefit system was targeted at those who could not work perhaps because there wasn’t any work to be had or because of disability or sickness. It was never intended to be an alternative lifestyle.
Supporting Others
The bible is very specific about supporting those in genuine need. It has no time for religious observance that lacks practical compassion. One of the best known Jewish prophets (Isaiah) wrote:
“The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives“. (Isaiah 58:6-7)
In similar vein, James also castigates those who offer words of encouragement but refuse to give practical help to the needy:
“My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you? Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!” – if you don’t give them the necessities of life? (James 2:14-16)
In fact, the positive attitude of helping others was a hallmark of the very early church, which was described in these words:
“All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed”. (Acts 2:44-45)
And again:
“Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, bring the money received from the sale and turn it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed according to the needs of the people“. (Acts 4:34-35)
There was no bureaucracy, no wasted money, no idleness and no neglected people.
Of course this all depends on most people adopting a selfless rather than a selfish attitude and that is a transformation that government cannot bring about. That is something only God can do.
If you want to know more, then read How Can I be Saved
