Cutting It - The 'Big Society' and the new austerity

The ‘Big Society’ is a defining policy of the Coalition Government and David Cameron’s big idea. It is also a government-lead programme for structural change.

Far from being a temporary buzz-phrase, as some suspected, the ‘Big Society’ seems to have taken off and taken hold – in a big way. Across national and local government, across considerable chunks of the business world and great swathes of the third sector, it is a hot topic of discussion and the driver of a massive re-branding exercise, as the phrase is swiftly bolted to countless projects, events and documents. What does it mean? What difference could it make to our lives? What are the opportunities and threats?

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) has published a report that analyses the opportunities and threats of the 'Big Society' vision, and how it will effect businesses, the third sector and democracy.

Download a full copy of the report here.

Or check out the video of the event below.