Nanny state

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Nanny state is a term that refers to state protectionism, economic interventionism, or regulatory policies (of economic, social or other nature), and the perception that these policies are becoming institutionalized as common practice. Opponents of such policies use the term in their advocacy against what they consider as uninvited and damaging state meddling. It has been referred to as a form of political correctness.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Various uses of term 2.1 Singapore 2.2 United Kingdom 3 See also 4 References 5 Resources 6 External links

[edit] Overview

Its usage varies by political context, but in general it is used in reference to policies where the state is characterized as being excessive in its desire to protect ("nanny"), govern or control particular aspects of society. Which particular aspects are considered to be excessively protected depends on usage. The term can refer to:

• public health interventions such as disease surveillance, quarantines, mandatory or government-subsidized vaccination, food labeling regulations, school lunch programs, and water fluoridation^[1]
• consumer protectionism that removes or controls otherwise free choices such as helmet laws, anti-smoking laws and other laws regarding personal choices (some of which include a social cost, as in disease in non-smokers caused by second hand smoke, and some of which do not include a social cost, as in helmet laws)
• national economic and social policies (regulation and intervention) that affect large and state-favored businesses
• international trade policies that favor native corporate industries (protectionism).

For example, politically conservative or libertarian groups in the United States (especially paleoconservatives that support the free market and capitalism) object to excessive state action to protect people from the consequences of their actions by restricting citizen options.

Liberals on the other hand have used the term to describe the state as being excessive in its protections of businesses and the business class —protections ostensibly made against the public good, and the good of consumers. This usage applies to the international context as well, where the "public good" is used to refer to people in general, and where the state is viewed as being excessive in its protection of native business over foreign (rival) businesses.

The term "Nanny State" was probably coined by the Conservative British MP Iain Macleod who wrote "what I like to call the nanny state . . ." in his column "Quoodle" in the December 3, 1965 edition of The Spectator.^{[citation needed]}

American foreign policy critic Noam Chomsky regularly uses the term "nanny state" to refer to U.S. protectionist policy.

[edit] Various uses of term

Policies such as mandatory helmet laws and bans on smoking in public places, high taxes on junk food, laws against recreational drug use, gun control, a legal drinking age or legal smoking age that is higher than the age of majority, censorship, seat belt legislation, and content regulation are criticized as nanny state actions.^{[citation needed]} Such actions result from the belief that the state (or, more often, one of its local authorities) has a comprehensive duty to protect the citizenry from their own harmful behaviors and assumes that the state knows best what constitutes harmful behavior.

A related category of decisions claimed to represent a nanny state are those which emerge from application of public health, risk management of health and safety policies. The European Commission has been criticized as acting like a nanny state by banning mercury in barometers as of June 2007.^[2] Other nanny state policies include banning conker fights in schools for fear of eye injuries.

Conservatives and libertarians tend to use the term to oppose new government regulations, although many traditional conservatives may also advocate paternalism, which some liberals and socialists regard as being much the same as a nanny state. A common criticism of nanny state policies is that they are less concerned with the welfare of citizens than with preventing litigation, and promoting the careers of politicians.

The British Labour Party politician Margaret Hodge is a defender of the nanny state, saying at a speech to the Institute for Public Policy Research on 26 November 2004 that "some may call it the nanny state but I call it a force for good".

[edit] Singapore

The city state of Singapore has a reputation as a nanny state, owing to the considerable number of government regulations and restrictions on its citizens' lives. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, the architect of the modern Singapore, has observed that "if Singapore is a nanny state, then I am proud to have fostered one."[1]

[edit] United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is another nation that has a reputation as a nanny state - especially to North America. This is in part due to the United Kingdom's heavy network of CCTV camera surveillance, government-run institutions, and social policies. In 2004, King's Fund, an independent think tank, conducted a survey of more than 1000 people and found that most favored policies that combatted social behavior such as poor diet and public smoking.^[3] Bodies such as Ofcom, which independently regulate the content of media and broadcasts, contribute to Britain's reputation as a Nanny State by tightly regulating what can be shown on television and other communications outlets. For example, Ofcom's Program Regulation states that it is acceptable for a thief to steal a car on television as long as he or she is wearing a seatbelt.^[4]

The UK establishment (especially local government) is also often accused of being obsessed with "Elf & Safety", a derogatory term for excessive paranoia over Health and Safety issues that has led to local councils banning many traditional activities such as firework parties,^[5] school outings and field trips, adventure camps and so forth.

[edit] See also

• Welfare state
• Night watchman state

[edit] References

[edit] Resources

• Guardian Society article defending the nanny state
• The Conservative Nanny State by Dean Baker (May 2006)
• News and articles from NannyState.net
• Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning America into a Nation of Children By David Harsanyi

[edit] External links

• Nanny State - A comical glance at the Nanny State