Introduction
It is often argued that governments should give a free home to every citizen who cannot afford one, given that shelter is as basic a need as food.
While
I accept that nobody should be left homeless, I largely disagree with Linking Words
this
view, as the cost would damage other public services, and the gift itself weakens people's motivation to support themselves.Linking Words
Body paragraph 1
Admittedly, the case for state housing is not without merit. The most obvious point is that a family with no stable address cannot hold down a job or keep children in school, so poverty passes from one generation to the next. In Morocco,
for instance
, the government paid for new flats to replace the slums of Casablanca, and the families who moved in sent their children to school far more regularly than before. That security allowed the parents to plan ahead Linking Words
instead
of merely surviving.Linking Words
Body paragraph 2
Nevertheless
, providing homes at no cost to everyone in need is the wrong solution. The most important reason is money because building and maintaining millions of properties would absorb the budget that hospitals, schools and roads depend on. If that budget shrank, every citizen would suffer. The estates on the edge of Rabat, Linking Words
for example
, were built with public funds and handed over free, but within ten years the state had to pay again to repair them, as nobody felt responsible for their upkeep. Linking Words
Moreover
, people who receive something for nothing rarely value it, Linking Words
whereas
a small rent or loan repayment gives residents a sense of ownership and a reason to work. In my view, Linking Words
therefore
, the state should help through cheap loans and partial subsidies rather than through completely free housing.Linking Words
Conclusion
In conclusion, the poorest citizens must be protected from homelessness, yet giving homes away is too expensive and discourages effort. On balance, generous but partial support is the fairer and more sustainable policy.