In her first public comments since leaving office, the Ex-PM Liz Truss has argued that her plans to boost economic growth were brought down by "the left-wing economic establishment". Losing the confidence of the financial markets at a time of global uncertainty has made us all more aware of our income and expenditure. If the news accurately reflected our lives, it would be hard to escape the conclusion that life is all about money - inflation, interest rates, pay demands and profits. The overriding objective of measuring economic growth is to help as many people as possible to have more money. But how have we become so pre-occupied with what is, after all, an artificial construct that is intrinsically valueless – paper and numbers in themselves morally neutral?  The love of money may be the root of all evil, but its use demands trust and co-operation, its possession brings freedom and agency. Money may have given much of humanity richer lives, in every way, but it’s made us into transactional, rather than relational beings, and it corrupts as much as it enables; a tool that so often seems our master. It’s impossible for us to judge when we have enough of it. If the best things in life are free, can we imagine a world without money – and would it be better? With Charlie Mullins, Darren McGarvey, Tomáš Sedláček and Anitra Nelson Producer: Dan Tierney.

Morality and Money

Combative, provocative and engaging live debate examining the moral issues behind one of the week's news stories. #moralmaze

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The Legacy Act in Northern Ireland provides a conditional amnesty for people who committed crimes during the Troubles, as part of a broader process of reconciliation.  It’s an attempt to draw a line under events of the past, but it’s generated anger among the families of some victims, who feel they’ll be denied justice.    
 
When things go wrong, we need to find people to blame.  Who’s responsible?  Who should be punished?  But might we do better if we were prepared to blame less – prioritising the truth, and forgive more?  It's been proposed that the NHS adopts a no-blame system where staff don’t lose their jobs if they admit a failure, so the NHS learns quickly from its mistakes.  The “no-blame culture” idea already exists in parts of the US aviation industry where people are encouraged, even praised, for owning up to mistakes that could cost lives. 
  
If blame means disgrace and the end of a career, it’s hardly surprising that people hide the truth about their own failure.  How many of us would admit it quickly, if we discovered that a mistake at work had led to terrible consequences?  More forgiveness might lead to greater openness and honesty. It could make it easier to avoid mistakes being repeated.  But is it moral to forgive serious wrongdoing?  Where is the justice in that?  Surely the fear of blame is a powerful incentive for us all to do our jobs properly and avoid mistakes.  Do we need more forgiveness – or less?     Presenter:   Michael Buerk
Producer:   Jonathan Hallewell
Assistant Producer:   Ruth Purser
Editor:   Tim Pemberton

The morality of forgiveness

Many people seem to be going off the idea of work.  In the UK there are more than nine million people who are "economically inactive".  Some are unemployed, some are students, others are not actively looking for a job or available to start work.  There’s no shortage of jobs, but people are choosing not to take them.  Many people decided not to return to work after the Covid lockdowns.  They reduced their working hours or took early retirement, choosing the golf course over the office.  For some, it’s a moral failure that so many are economically inactive.  But why do we ascribe such virtue to the idea of work?   Politicians endlessly refer to "hard working families", perhaps inducing a sense of entitlement among workers, but in the process stoking resentment against those who don't work.  Of course the economy relies on work - the wheels only turn when enough people are employed and paying tax.   Some believe the benefits system is to blame - if it's too comfortable not to work - then why bother?   But there’s also the broader societal shift where people choose to work less, or not at all and live a more modest but perhaps less stressful life.  Is this a laudable position, where people prioritise wellbeing over wealth and status, or a selfish one that denies the collective responsibility we all bear to contribute to society, through labour and taxes?   The personal value of work might feel clearer if your job is rewarding and well paid, but less so if you’re on a low income.  What is the moral value of work?   Presenter:   Michael Buerk
Producer:   Jonathan Hallewell
Assistant Producer:   Ruth Purser
Editor:   Tim Pemberton

The morality of work

This week it emerged that Abdul Ezedi, hunted by police after an attack on a woman and her daughters with a corrosive liquid, was granted asylum after being convicted of sexual assault.  He'd converted to Christianity, which could have put him at risk in his native Afghanistan.  It’s just the latest story stirring debate about one of the most divisive issues of our times - immigration.
 
In 2022 net migration hit a record 745,000.  That’s more people than live in many of Britain’s biggest cities.  Last week the Office for National Statistics predicted that the population could rise by nearly 10% between 2021 and 2036.  The overwhelming majority of immigrants are legal.  
 
Economists are split on the costs and benefits of immigration.  Some suggest that it could help tackle a demographic timebomb as our population ages.  Britain also attracts some of the world’s most capable and highly qualified people, driving up our wealth-creating potential. National life is enriched culturally and socially.  Isn’t there also a moral imperative to open our doors to people from countries troubled by war, oppression and climate change?  But immigration has been high for decades without a clear electoral mandate.  Some neighbourhoods have been transformed, raising concerns over social cohesion.  It’s added to the pressure on housing and on creaking public services.  Is it right that whole industries rely on immigrants willing to work for low pay – social care, health and hospitality?  
 
What is a desirable level of immigration?  How should the balance be struck between the demands of our economy and social cohesion?  What’s the moral case for immigration? Presenter:  Michael Buerk
Producer:  Jonathan Hallewell
Assistant Producer:  Linda Walker
Editor:   Tim Pemberton

The morality of immigration

It’s Valentine’s Day, when we celebrate romantic love, and is there anything more romantic than getting married?  It’s the way all those old films end, after all the “will they, won’t they”, the couple finally tie the knot, the titles roll and we all enjoy the warm certainty that they’re sorted for life.  What’s not to love about marriage?  A lifelong commitment to care for each other... a solemn promise rooted in love… perhaps the foundation for starting a family.  But for many, marriage is losing its gloss.   The latest government figures suggest that the proportion of adults in England and Wales who are married has, for the first time, fallen below 50%. 
 
The rise of pre-nuptial agreements signals a change in levels of confidence about marriage.  Is forever still forever?   If it probably isn’t – then let’s just plan ahead for when it all goes wrong. 
 
We live much longer than in the past, so “til death us do part” is likely to be a very long time indeed.  Perhaps it’s now unreasonable to expect a lifelong commitment.  Short of that, are human beings even built for monogamy?  If love dies in a marriage, should that be the end, or is marital commitment broader than that?  There is some evidence that outcomes for children are better if parents are married, and some people see it as a fundamental building block of society.  But is there a moral value to marriage?  Is it a striving for what is finest about being human, the highest realisation of not just romantic love, but of that important social unit – the couple?  Or just an old fashioned idea, rooted in outdated traditions, all wrapped up in a sentimental rose tinted fantasy? Presenter:  Michael Buerk
Producers: Jonathan Hallewell and Peter Everett
Assistant Producer:  Ruth Purser
Editor:  Tim Pemberton

The morality of marriage

It emerged this week that scientists in South Korea have created a new kind of “meaty” rice, with high levels of protein.  The grains are packed with beef muscle and fat cells – all grown in a lab.  It’s just the latest of many meat-alternatives that are helping people to eat less meat.  Supermarkets are responding to public demand by offering an ever wider choice of plant-based foods.  But while we might not need to eat meat, most of us really enjoy it. The goal posts are shifting in the age old debate about the morality of meat.  Whatever you think about the industrial breeding of animals, to be slaughtered and served up for our pleasure, there’s now another compelling argument for us to stop, or at least cut back – meat production significantly contributes to climate change.   In the last decade, the number of vegans in the UK has increased steeply, but it’s still small. Estimates vary between about 2% and 3% of the population.  Many more are vegetarian, who avoid meat and fish, but eat dairy.  There are also flexitarians, who mainly choose a plant-based diet, but do occasionally eat meat.    A moral argument that was once focused on whether humans have the right to exploit animals has become a broader debate that includes protecting the planet for future generations.  Some say it’s natural for humans to eat meat, indeed we have evolved to do so.  Others think it’s barbaric and the effects of the meat and dairy industry on the climate have made the argument for veganism overwhelming.   What’s the moral case for veganism? Presenter:   Michael Buerk
Producer:   Jonathan Hallewell
Assistant Producer:  Ruth Purser
Editor:   Tim Pemberton

Morality and Money

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