You know the saying about giving a man to fish vs. teaching a man to fish? Well, now we have proof that the latter is the correct option. (As if we didn’t before.) Read and enjoy, from the Daily Mail:

A “why bother?” economy has been created in Britain which has left thousands with no motivation to work, a report published today concludes.

Successive governments have encouraged a welfare culture that has left every family facing a £1,300 bill because the poor stay poor, it claims.

The findings by the public services think tank Reform suggest that increased welfare dependency has made it more difficult for those on the lowest incomes to do better.

An education system with a “dismal record” of educating the poorest, and a complex welfare system, have together created a far more divided society than other European countries, it finds.

Means-tested benefits and higher taxes have reduced the incentives available to those on low incomes to better themselves, Reform says.

It concludes: “The unintended consequence has been a ‘why bother?’ economy in which a significant minority do not have the capability or motivation to succeed.”

The report finds that social mobility has not improved since the 1970s, despite substantial increases in benefits-Compared to other industrial countries the UK has an above-average number of the low-skilled relying on state handouts, which reduces the economy’s productivity.

If you don’t think this story is applicable because it’s about England, not the US — you’re nuts, and… well… I’ll withhold what I was going to say about you.

Note the paragraph about the “divided society” England faces. Where have you heard that before? Answer: from the Democratic politicians, complaining about the vanishing middle-class. And what’s their solution? Answer: tax the rich even more, i.e., make the welfare system even more complex than it is now.

But — you’re thinking — if a welfare system doesn’t help those who it’s intended to help (the poor), and it doesn’t help those who it takes away from (the rich), why does it persist? The answer is simple: because it makes people feel good about themselves, and it makes politicians seem more compassionate. (Yes, I’m speaking to you, Mr. “Compassionate Conservative”.)

Unfortunately, most people lack the long-term vision necessary to identify that the only thing that can truly help a poor person — is himself.

Sorry, but I’d rather be on the side of truth, rather than be compassionate about a falsehood.