The poverty of expectation
BMJ 2007; 334 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39153.513646.59 (Published 15 March 2007) Cite this as: BMJ 2007;334:588- Des Spence, general practitioner, Glasgow (destwo@yahoo.co.uk)
My father went bankrupt in 1972. The times were different then, and personal bankruptcy was neither commonplace nor a mere social inconvenience. My family was sent tumbling down into a black financial abyss. We fell, but rather than hit the bottom, we were caught in a safety net—the welfare state. This educated me, fed me, clothed me, housed me, paid for my university education, and supported my studies. A debt of gratitude to society lives with me everyday. There is nothing that I would not do to protect our welfare state—for me it is …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £173 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£38 / $45 / €42 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.