How to beat the stress epidemic caused by the modern equivalent of William Beveridge's ‘five social evils’ – Karyn McCluskey

The modern equivalents of the five ‘social evils’ outlined in the 1942 Beveridge Report can be beaten if we reach out to one another and work together

The thing about clichés is we hear them, and often repeat them, unthinkingly. We become blind to the wisdom, or otherwise, that they are supposed to impart. “Pressure makes diamonds” is a personal bugbear of mine. It's true, of course, that extreme temperature and force will turn rocks into those shiny gems we like to wear, but people are not rocks and pressure is no virtue.

It’s glibness, which dresses up suffering as a reward, hiding the true impact that stress and pain inflict on individuals and communities. No one is immune. Stress takes many forms, but as a driver of behaviour it is more likely to trigger bad, impulsive decision-making, rather than create strong, resilient characters.

We are a country grappling with various crises: cost of living, climate, housing, energy. And those with the least, inevitably, carry more than their fair share of the fallout. Choosing between heating your home or feeding your family, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, while reading headlines about “too many” people claiming benefits due to anxiety and depression, must feel like living an episode of Black Mirror.

Liberal politician and economist William Beveridge wrote the famous blueprint for the post-Second World War welfare state (Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Five social evils

In his recent book Shattered Nation, social geographer Danny Dorling revisited the 1942 Beveridge Report which was instrumental in the development of the welfare state. Beveridge outlined the five social evils affecting the UK in 1942; want, squalor, idleness, ignorance and disease. Dorling looked at the statistics and trends within the UK and proposed five social evils for 2023 and beyond: hunger, precarity, waste, exploitation and fear. These feel about right and the stress that is caused by them is evident.

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The stereotype of stress is often illustrated by the ‘high-flyer’: the banker, politician, or hedge-fund manager. And yes, these roles, where big decisions can have huge repercussions, surely come with a hefty dose of pressure – and remuneration. But arguably, the mounting day-to-day stress that so many experience before they’ve left the house in the morning is more harmful.

We are in a stress epidemic. Average UK real wages are lower than 18 years ago; for many young people, owning a house of their own is a pipe dream; and public services are at breaking point.

Stories of hope

And what’s the impact of this burden? It can affect our choices – which might be the convenience and comfort of alcohol and fast food, or something darker; substance misuse, violence. All damaging to ourselves and others. The emotional impact can be as dangerous: anger, the diminishment of compassion, and scapegoating – of refugees, the unemployed, the homeless. The group might change, but the cycle is the same – find someone to blame and always look down, not up.

Amidst this, it’s easy to feel hopeless. But the answer can be found in those around us. Connectedness won’t fill hungry bellies, but it can bring something else: understanding need and a route to solutions.

There are stories of hope. Communities have come together to claim unloved land to grow food for their area, football fans have supported foodbanks for their rivals, and schoolchildren have protested for climate action. Reaching out and holding onto those around us is better than the alternative. In the end, who else do we have?

Karyn McCluskey is chief executive of Community Justice Scotland