# FILE NAME: 00001619.soc
# TITLE: Should we cut military spending and spend more on the arts and health care? [b59e81a93f7f9e5233d50748bc8d8552]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 5
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - “No, we shouldn’t cut military spending, but we should divert money from other sectors, to fund the Arts and Health care.”
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - “I don't think we should take money away from the military however I do believe more money should be given to the healthcare sector as it is struggling, but the military is important, therefore funds should be taken from another sector and given to healthcare.”
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - “The world has changed and there are better ways to combat threats than spending on military hardware. For example by funding technology and AI-based cyber-security solutions to keeping threats to a minimum.  This would be preferable to obsolete tech like heavy artillery and nuclear weapons which can never be used. However, as a small island, we don't believe that funding cuts to the military would be beneficial where we need to maintain our own security. Instead, we might consider cuts to welfare systems and refugee policies which we also have first hand experience of seeing within our sector and always seem to be affluently funded. We also agree that both the arts and health care would benefit from additional funding. Health care in particular is our profession and we recognise the current and future constraints of a system which is already underfunded. However, the military is important, therefore funds should be taken from another sector and given to healthcare.”
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - Yes, military spending should be cut and the savings should be reallocated to the arts and healthcare. The world has changed since the end of the Cold War and although military spending remains high in absolute terms, it has reduced as a proportion of GDP. In comparison, the NHS is under-funded and does not receive the investment it requires. We should also not forget that health is more than just funding the NHS, but also tackling the causes of ill-health such as obesity, alcohol and drug abuse and improving public health infrastructure. The arts too are important, and it is easy to forget that the last time the UK had a world class art scene, it was supported by the public purse, as evidenced by the Tate, the National Gallery and other public museums and galleries.
1: 3,2,1,4
1: 4,3,1,2
1: 4,3,2,1
1: 4,2,1,3
1: 2,1,4,3