Government and Society
What Governments Can Do
- Governments provide public services like healthcare and education
- They support people who are living in poverty or unable to work
- Governments raise money by taxing working people
- They can spend money on resources and campaigns
- They can introduce new laws
- They can impose taxes
- They can raise people’s awareness of issues (e.g. climate change/healthy eating)
- They can influence people’s habits and opinions
- They can create jobs/more job opportunities
- They can regulate the activities of companies such as banks
- They can provide resources for schools
- They are also responsible for the security and well-being of their citizens
- They control armed forces and police forces
Public Services
- Governments pay the salaries of public sector workers like police officers and teachers
- The necessary money is raised by taxing people’s income
- Free education and healthcare may be provided by the state
- Some governments control public transport systems and even TV channels
- In other countries, these services are provided by private companies
- Some people believe that competition between private companies is good
- It helps to improve quality while bringing prices down
- Other people think that essential services should be free
- Governments should pay for them
Censorship: Opinion
- Governments can censor what public sees or reads in the media
- To a certain extent censorship is necessary
- We should use censorship to protect children from violent images
- Some computer games involve killing people or committing crimes
- The Internet also needs to be controlled
- Many websites show pornography and violence
- There should be age limits for websites and computers games
- Parents need to take responsibility for checking what their children watch
- It is impossible for governments to control everything we see
Video Cameras in Public Places
- The use of CCTV is becoming widespread
- Video cameras have been installed in many public places
- They are supposed to protect us and deter criminals
- Many people think that this surveillance violates our privacy
- The authorities could build databases with our pictures and identities
- We should not be treated like criminals
Smart Cards: Positives
- Governments will probably introduce a digital identification card system
- Smart cards will have benefits and drawbacks
- They could help to reduce crime
- They could hold personal information, such as DNA
- Digital bank cards could contain fingerprint information
- It would be very difficult for criminals to use a stolen card
- It would be easier for police to identify people and catch criminals
Smart Cards: Negatives
- Many people are worried about losing their privacy
- Governments could store all our personal and medical information
- This information could be used by insurance companies
- Employers could check our health records
People with Disabilities
- People with disabilities should be treated the same as everybody else
- They should have the same rights as other people
- They should have access to the same jobs as other citizens
- Discriminations against disabled people is illegal in many countries
- Ramps and lifts for wheelchairs should be installed in public buildings
- Support teacher can be employed to help children with learning difficulties
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