SIR – The economists must be tearing up their theses and burning the accepted tomes on micro-economics to accommodate the latest weapon in the Tory economics armoury – the volunteer.
Thus far, the rewards accruing to the means of production (labour, materials and capital) have greased the wheels of industry and commerce.
But today we have large swathes of the economy (the police force, defence, education, the NHS) that are manned by not insignificant numbers of people who get no reward, no salary, no wage, nothing – the volunteer.
In this “Big Society” Tory social experimental laboratory, how do the volunteers pay utility bills, mortgage payments, food and clothing costs, afford a holiday, treat the kids? Perhaps your regular gang of apologists for this coalition government and its smoke and mirrors economic policies can provide answers – or better still, volunteer.
A Waterhouse, Barmby Road, Bradford
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