I think it was ever thus....human beings are not hard wired to share resources, just the opposite in fact. I think the mark of progress (as far as being human is concerned) is that we can extend ourselves to others. Sticking a balance between a 'hand up' and a 'hand out' is key...otherwise you get the current situation where people develop a sense of entitlement even when they have contributed little or nothing themselves.
By the way, this is not a phenomenon exclusive to Manchester or the U.K. but appears all societies where people have tried to provide a level of security for those who aren't doing as well as others. It would seem that 'balance' is not such an easy thing for us to grasp.
I've never believed I could change the world, but I've always known it was possible to change 'my' world....one of the reasons I left Manchester in the early 1980's.
