People ask me...
Jul. 5th, 2019 06:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johnny9fingersWell, some folk ask how I can consider myself a conservative when I hold neo-Keynesian economic opinions, am a feminist, and believe the state should shoulder some of the burdens of living within its strictures.
In general I just say I'm for conserving and preserving that which we have which is worthwhile.
For example, on the anniversary of my daughter's birthday and the day we lost the American colonies I read this piece of news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48868113
And I was sad.
Britain's oldest building firm, R Durtnell and Sons, has ceased trading, putting more than 100 jobs at risk. The company was founded in 1591, and has been run by 13 generations of the same family.
R Durtnell and Sons should be part of the warp and weft of England. And it is my opinion that, culturally and historically speaking, we can't afford to let entities/institutions/businesses of this age, venerability, and importance to just cease trading, or go into administration.
If ever a building company had a claim on English Heritage or the National Trust it is R Durtnell and Sons. And their records and archives are of historical importance as well.
This is a small, national tragedy. Mind you, we have bigger ones to appreciate ATM.
In general I just say I'm for conserving and preserving that which we have which is worthwhile.
For example, on the anniversary of my daughter's birthday and the day we lost the American colonies I read this piece of news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48868113
And I was sad.
Britain's oldest building firm, R Durtnell and Sons, has ceased trading, putting more than 100 jobs at risk. The company was founded in 1591, and has been run by 13 generations of the same family.
R Durtnell and Sons should be part of the warp and weft of England. And it is my opinion that, culturally and historically speaking, we can't afford to let entities/institutions/businesses of this age, venerability, and importance to just cease trading, or go into administration.
If ever a building company had a claim on English Heritage or the National Trust it is R Durtnell and Sons. And their records and archives are of historical importance as well.
This is a small, national tragedy. Mind you, we have bigger ones to appreciate ATM.
no subject
Date: 2019-07-05 06:02 pm (UTC)That is sad.
no subject
Date: 2019-07-06 05:16 am (UTC)There needs to be a rescue package if possible. If not, cultural and economic historians should autopsy the carcass, and whatever company records left should be put together in an archive for further study.
But it feels like a small tragedy for England. And this is a tragedy for capitalism too; the sort of capitalism which has no history has no anchors, no traditions, and in the end no rules other than those which are absolutely unavoidable and un-evadable.
Nothing in this version of capitalism has any longevity; but some things are too big to fail. It is the perfect context for passing the costs of big business onto the consumer and taxpayer, and ensuring the profits all go to the shareholders. Small and medium businesses get squeezed and we have a perfect picture of the extruded middle. Hence R Durtnell and Sons appearing in the news for the wrong reasons.
Oh well.