With so many CCTV cameras on the streets, in shops, bars, pubs, buses and trains. RFID chips in books, on cans of beans and even on bought flowers, with the proposal for an 'ID' card to take photographs in public places, interveiws for new passport applicants, and the proposed ID card...Is Britain becoming a Nanny State or more like George Orwell's 1984 Big Brother with eyes and tenticles everywhere and on everyone.
2007-04-05 14:47:17 · 10 answers · asked by eastglam 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
Orwell foresaw a world in which the government was a ruthless one-party dictatorship with complete control of all communications and media, in a constant state of war, with its citizens under constant surveillance. Even people's private lives were subject to scrutiny and strictly controlled. Arbitrary arrest, imprisonment without trial, physical and psychological torture and judicial murder were commonplace and awaited anyone who was, or was thought to be, a dissident.
The surveillance took the form of televisions which could both receive and transmit simultaneously and could not be switched off; they were in public places, work places and Party members had to have them in their homes.
Britain hasn't quite reached this state yet. There are plenty of developments which Orwell did not foresee, like the internet, which makes dictatorship difficult if not impossible (as the Chinese leadership are finding out), the proliferation of satellite and cable TV, and mobile phones.
Whatever its faults (and there are many), Britain is still a democracy, though that doesn't excuse cause for concern. The widespread use of CCTV cameras and proposed compulsory ID are worrying developments because their existence infringes civil liberties. Also the arrest and imprisonment without trial of terrorist suspects, often on the flimsiest of evidence, and the criminalisation of refugees seeking asylum.
2007-04-05 17:40:56 · answer #1 · answered by squeaky guinea pig 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I don't think anything in those links would suggest that there is a majority of actual atheists in "Britain' (which isn't a state - do you mean the UK?). People are apathetic about religion, sometimes hostile to it, but have vague notions of spirits or afterlife or something - not the attitude of an atheist. I'd say that apathy held sway more than any religion or atheism. The UK is officially a Christian country as we have an established religion with the Queen (nominal head of state) being the head of the Church of England. Many people claim to belong to the Church of England but only enter a church when they get married or die. The UK is multi-religious - there are Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists, Baha'is, Hindus, Buddhists, lots of people claiming to have some "spiritual belief" about which they are rather vague, etc. So no, "Britain", or rather the UK, is not an atheist state, but it's certainly true that religion does not have the power here that it does in the USA and a majority of people are irritated by public displays of religiosity.
2016-03-31 23:55:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the number of terrorists on the rise. I'm in favor of all the cameras. Let's face it, Big Brother has been under attack since 9-11.
Had US and UK treated foreigners differently from their free citizens, they would not have this problem. The fact that terrorists go wherever they want is a true testament to how taking freedoms from us is a means of taking them away from them.
It's got to be done.
2007-04-05 16:14:19 · answer #3 · answered by Suze 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
George Orwell couldn't even dream of the things they have today- like some of the things you mentioned. It has always been the intenion of the "government" to create a state with total vision. It's just that now they have the technology to create such a state, and I wonder who they are really protecting ?
Their not protecting me or my family, so they must be protecting them selfs. Thats the only conculsion I can come to.
Is it to late for the 1977 revolution ?
2007-04-05 15:07:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No! I don't think so/ So so many minorities now living in Britain, and a lot of them from the Middle East, the Brits have got tot do something to protect themselves from internal terrorists.
2007-04-05 15:01:17 · answer #5 · answered by Alfie333 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the very, very near future, Britain will be no more than a third world nation. However the same thing is in progress for the U.S.A.
2007-04-05 14:53:25 · answer #6 · answered by popeye 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, both the US and Britain are Big Brother nations walking hand in hand. Not becoming. Are.
2007-04-05 14:51:56 · answer #7 · answered by lcmcpa 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's America's Job.
2007-04-05 14:52:49 · answer #8 · answered by chunkymonkey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That and Big Bully nation..
2007-04-05 19:02:29 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, welcome to reality.
2007-04-05 14:51:08 · answer #10 · answered by Lost. at. Sea. 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋