725,000 public sector jobs face axe, economist warns

ILW

I would dispute your claim that most CS are front line, from the departments I have known there appear to be whole levels of lower, middle and higher managers who seem to do very little of any use to anyone.
PS. It was not me that called anyone scum.

The_White_Horse

it is irrelevant if people in the public sector pay taxes. you don't "create" anything. you just filter the same money around.

zappahey

dori2o wrote: »

You do realise that those who work in the public sector are taxpayers too right?

As one of those much-reviled public service middle managers, I've always reminded my team that we don't actually pay taxes.

That deduction is actually a refund to the tax payer.

It doesn't always go down too well

thescouselander

The_White_Horse wrote: »

it is irrelevant if people in the public sector pay taxes. you don't "create" anything. you just filter the same money around.

Thats not quite true is it? While the public sector isn't a wealth creating enterprise in itself they do provide services of various types which we all use. Many of these services are an enabler for business to make money (like provision of the road network to name just one).


Also, some parts of the public sector do "Create" useful things - did you know Liquid Crystal Displays were invented in the UK by a public sector organisation? The same goes for many other inventions in common use today.

ILW

thescouselander wrote: »

Thats not quite true is it? While the public sector isn't a wealth creating enterprise in itself they do provide services of various types which we all use. Many of these services are an enabler for business to make money (like provision of the road network to name just one).


Also, some parts of the public sector do "Create" useful things - did you know Liquid Crystal Displays were invented in the UK by a public sector organisation? The same goes for many other inventions in common use today.

If that is true and the organisation had been properly run, they would hold the patent and anyone who wanted to make LCDs would have to pay a license fee. This would have been a massive source of income for the UKs public finances and is a good demonstration of how badly the public sector works.

thescouselander

ILW wrote: »

If that is true and the organisation had been properly run, they would hold the patent and anyone who wanted to make LCDs would have to pay a license fee. This would have been a massive source of income for the UKs public finances and is a good demonstration of how badly the public sector works.

Yes, its entirely true. Unfortuntly the opportunity wasn't taken to capitalise on the patent but thats really down to government policy rather than any wrongdoing on the part of the inventors.

lemonjelly

thescouselander wrote: »

Yes, its entirely true. Unfortuntly the opportunity wasn't taken to capitalise on the patent but thats really down to government policy rather than any wrongdoing on the part of the inventors.

Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine didn't patent that. It was something he created though, & surely the world has benefitted from this great mans kindness, brilliance & generosity.

Jonas_Salk wrote: »

His sole focus had been to develop a safe and effective vaccine as rapidly as possible, with no interest in personal profit. When he was asked in a televised interview who owned the patent to the vaccine, Salk replied: "There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?".

ILW

Polio vaccine is something for the good of the world. The LCD is of purely commercial value, so no comparison.

StevieJ

lemonjelly wrote: »

Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine didn't patent that. It was something he created though, & surely the world has benefitted from this great mans kindness, brilliance & generosity.

I don't know how patents work but if the inventor doesn't take out a patent could somebody, not connected do it?

ILW

thescouselander wrote: »

Yes, its entirely true. Unfortuntly the opportunity wasn't taken to capitalise on the patent but thats really down to government policy rather than any wrongdoing on the part of the inventors.

It would have been a civil servant who either decided not to get a patent, or just didn't bother for whatever reason. A prime example of the public sector having no regard for taxpayers money.