SPEAKING. In this activity you are going to argue about an imaginary western developed country, described below

Role-Play

In this activity you are going to argue about an imaginary western developed country, described below. Working in groups, you are going to imagine that you are opposed parties in this country. You will choose certain ideas and policies to support, and argue against those of the other party. Follow the instructions below.

1. First, read the description of the country, called Rutland. Although it is an imaginary country, think of it as existing in the real world.

2. Divide into pairs, each one representing two political parties, the Liberals (left wing) and the Conservatives (right wing). Study the lists of general ideas and proposed legislation and choose items which your party supports.

3. Choose 4 or 5 points and prepare to present these policies and defend your platform with arguments. The platform may be fairly general, but must at some point be relevant to the country’s problems.

4. Each party should put forward its platform in turn, defending it against the other party.

Rutland is declining industrially, particularly in certain areas, where there is severe unemployment. In other areas, where people earn well, there are shortages of skilled workers. Industrial output is continually hit by strikes against redundancies. More and more people without jobs are flooding to the big cities, overburdening services, living rough and becoming involved in crime and in angry protest, which are increasing alarmingly across the country, along with drunkenness and violence. There are the beginnings of a permanently unemployed, unhealthy, uneducated, antisocial lower class. The maintenance of the poor and unemployed by Government expenditure is bankrupting the country. Social, education and health services do not function well because the Government does not pay nurses, doctors and teachers enough to attract people to the professions, and does not invest sufficiently in equipment and facilities. The natural environment is gradually being destroyed by pollution.

General ideas • An end to all censorship of the media. • An end to state ownership of industry. • An end to financial aid for the poor and unemployed. • A vast increase in the police office. • Expensive tax relief for industry in depressed regions, stimulating investment and employment there. • Drastic reduction of the armed forces. • Improvement of the public health services. • A vast and expensive increase in prison building, and recruitment of guards. • Tax relief for private health organisations, to stimulate their growth. • An intensive campaign against drinking, like that against smoking. • A ban on advertising alcohol and drinking in unlicensed public places. • An end to very expensive food subsidies. • Complete nuclear disarmament. • Salary increases for state-school teachers. · A campaign to recruit more. · More money available for equipment, books, etc. • Tax relief on school fees to stimulate private education. • Income tax increases for the wealthy.

Proposed legislation · Laws to give Trades Unions the right to represent the work force on the boards of companies and to give the work force a share in profits. · Laws to force companies to introduce very expensive technology to reduce industrial pollution. · Strikes about redundancies to be made illegal. · The introduction of the death penalty for murder, armed robbery and terrorism. · Heavier prison sentences for theft, assault and the destruction of property. · Increased powers for the government to censor TV material which is obscene, violent or ‘against the national interest’.