# FILE NAME: 00002006.soc
# TITLE: Is austerity a good economic policy for the UK? [8ec446a159ebc5b14c95118769e08808]
# 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: 3
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Austerity is not a good economic policy for the UK. We feel that austerity has been used in a lot of countries including the USA and has been controversial. We feel that it depends on the economic situation of the country and whether austerity would improve it or cause it more damage. We think that in a country like the UK, it wouldn't be a good policy and many would suffer from it. We think that it is important for the government to balance its budgets and not spend more money than it takes in, but we think a better way to achieve this would be tax code reforms which prevent very rich individuals and large companies from avoiding paying their taxes. We feel that austerity takes the opposite approach, in reducing spending, but this only really impacts the poorest people in society and erodes our public services such as the NHS. This has a long-lasting negative effect on society, as well as slowing the economy down because poor people actually spend their money and thus fuel businesses. We think that no, austerity has shown to lead to increased unemployment in the short term - especially in the public sector - worsening peoples material conditions.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - Austerity is a bad economic policy for the UK.  If the government continues to reduce spending, many public services will become unaffordable for the majority of people and those who do continue to access them will receive a reduced level of care.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Austerity is a bad economic policy for the UK.  It leads to higher unemployment, and cuts to public services, which in turn leads to poorer quality of life for the people, and a slower growing economy.  It is important for the government to balance its books, but this can be done by increasing taxes on the rich, rather than cutting spending.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - We think that austerity is not a good economic policy for the UK.  It is very easy for politicians to talk about cutting spending but the truth is that cuts only really affect the poorest in society.  Those at the top end of society - big companies, the wealthy, the politicians themselves - hardly feel any pain at all.  What makes it even worse is that poor people actually spend their money and provide the stimulus that businesses need to survive.  Cutting spending simply slows the economy down and causes more pain than is necessary.  There are better ways to balance the budget - for example through tax reforms that prevent large companies and wealthy individuals from avoiding tax.
2: 1,4,3,2
2: 4,1,3,2
1: 4,1,2,3