Recessions and the young

“WE are all in this together,” promises David Cameron's government, as it tries to fix shattered public finances and set Britain on a path of sustainable growth.

It matters that voters should believe this. Not because the claim will soothe those suffering most from spending cuts or lost employment. Instead, a sense of fairness is vital to the broad mass of voters who keep their jobs in even nasty recessions, and whose households will survive this crisis. Fairness gives the majority permission to support policies needed to fix the mess, but which will impose real pain on some.