Compromise Can Produce the Best of All Possible Outcomes

Jane Bennett, the Forum of Private Business's Head of Compaigns commented on the Queen's Speech today, and stated that it 'didn't appear to contain anything smaller businesses should be unduly concerned about'.

I listened to the Speech - and whilst I haven't had time to absorb it properly, and would like to spend some time mulling over the proposed Bills, I think Ms. Bennett is absolutely right.

What really struck me about Ms. Bennett's comments, though, was her reference to the 'not ideal' compromise reached over National Insurance Contributions.

Parties who mutually agree to 'compromise ' naturally have to accept terms that do not perfectly agree with the original or absolute desires of either or any of them, and therefore no 'compromise' can ever be said to be 'ideal' for either or any of them - but compromise can (and in many cases does) reflect the best of all possible worlds and produce the best of all possible outcomes.

Anybody who has ever been in business since the world began and the first bargain was sealed - whether by way of a handshake or a written contract - knows the price and the value of compromise. Compromise is what business is all about. Actually it's what life is all about. And now it's what politics and government is all about, too.

I think we can all live quite happily with that.