Letters / What kind of society do we want?
When people say, “nothing is free, someone pays for it,” they’re technically right — but they’re missing the point.
Free prescriptions, free travel and education in Scotland aren’t “free” in the sense of magic money. They’re collectively funded. We all pay in through tax, and we all benefit at different points in our lives.
That’s not waste, it’s investment in people, that’s how a society looks after itself.
Someone might save on prescriptions when they’re ill. The same person will pay tax at a higher rate when they’re working after getting an education which hasn’t put them into debt.
Later in life, they might benefit again through free travel or healthcare.
These benefits matter because:
- They remove stigma — no one has to prove they’re poor or sick enough
- They’re simple and cheaper to run than complex means testing
- They improve public health, mobility and education which saves money long-term
- They build a stronger, robust, resilient society that is not as susceptible to global fluctuations.
Other countries do this too. They use tax to invest in people — healthcare, transport, education — because healthier, more mobile populations cost less in crisis care, cope well with global issues and contribute more economically.
So, the real question isn’t: who pays? – it’s: what kind of society do we want?
One where people pray on each other and squabble for scraps, fall through the cracks of poor welfare systems, or one where we accept that sometimes you give more, sometimes you take more — but everyone is looked after when they need it.
That’s not naïve, that’s progressive.
That’s what we need to suit the Scottish psyche of community life and inclusive living.
Davie Meddes
Sandwick
