Europe Has High Levels Of Social Exclusion

One of the most notable things that has marked this country out when comparing it to the rest of Europe is our very high level of Social Exclusion.  So what exactly do we mean by social exclusion?

Social exclusion is a fairly new term when used in the context of British policy debate.  Poverty and low income can be included in its definition but it is somewhat broader and addresses many of the wider causes of and consequences of poverty. The Government actually defined it as ‘a shorthand term for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown’.

Obviously this definition is deliberately flexible and those problems mentioned within it are only a few examples.  It is possible to include many other dimensions of exclusion if required.  The most important shall we say, characteristic of social exclusion is that these problems are linked and are mutually reinforcing.   They can combine to produce a complex and complicated fast-moving terribly vicious circle.   At the point when this is understood properly will be the point when policies will really be effective.