Bishop's letters: June 03 +Graham Compensation and the Culture of Blame

There are indications that people in our nation are increasingly determined to find someone to blame for every accident. A recent report states that 'the "compensation culture" is costing Britain about £10 billion a year'.

There are many cases where financial compensation is appropriate. It is necessary following an incident or personal accident if each person affected is to be well looked after and able to rebuild their life in a thoroughly wholesome way. It is necessary, as in the case of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, where government action (albeit in response to a problem) takes away assets and livelihood.

However, there are a growing number of cases where the financial compensation awarded makes little real difference to restoring the life of peace and equilibrium that has been lost, if, in some cases, much has really been lost at all. Then, compensation is pursued first because of the money, second because we are told it is "our right", and third because it will make those whose negligence contributed to the loss more careful in the future. There are even organisations which offer their services, inviting people to think of some misadventure for which they might claim and inviting business on a "no win, no fee" basis. It is all very tempting!

For several reasons this approach is destroying our humanity.

The quality of human life cannot be measured in terms of its money value. The most important thing is that after a tragic loss or painful incident we return to a life of peace and stability. Money cannot provide this. Wholesome life is about attitudes of love and thanksgiving. It is about committed relationships with forgiveness and a peace which only God can fully give.

Secondly, to focus on blame and compensation destroys the art of forgiveness and directs our minds away from trust in God. Sadly, many people no longer believe in God's providence in the world. When things go badly wrong we are left with no-one to direct our pain to, except some other person. We will not accept that God is there to help us come to terms with what has happened. If we do not know his forgiveness ourselves how can we offer it to others? Without a sense of God's over-arching love for all people, life becomes altogether harsher and blame and demands for compensation escalate.

Thirdly, we become so afraid of legal action that we cannot take reasonable risks. Of course, great care must be taken with human lives. But the prospect of excessive compensation settlements means that there will be fewer adventure holidays for children and fewer outings. Avoiding compensation will govern medical decisions, perhaps more than the patient's interest. Journalists dare not print an apology. There is a greater and greater burden on us all in funding the claims and the insurance needed for every public service and in paying the greater costs for businesses to buy the protection they need.

In short, our greed for compensation money is destroying basic God-given values of trust, of apology, of faith in God through the unknown and its risks. It reduces creativity and requires of all bodies that they avoid legal action at all costs. We want security and we want money. It is not leading us to a godly society where both trust and adventure flourish.

+Graham Dow, Bishop of Carlisle