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When I first went into business the only investment I had to make was to support myself with no income for 3 months while training and commencing initial business activity.
My second business venture required an investment of £2,000 plus having to manage another 3 months without income, while still paying a mortgage 9as I did the first time).
My third business venture also resulted in 3 months of no income and in this case an investment of over £5,000.
I am fortunate as the amounts outlayed are less than many businessmen have to find.
Like the client I had in recently who, at age 25, produced a business plan with which he visited several banks and institutions to borrow £50,000 start-up capital and other funding for his first business. He made no profit at all for the first 12 months and just built up more and more debt. His debt peaked at nearly £150,000 before the profits started to roll in and it is now down to a little under £100,000, 5 years after start-up. He has never been able to take more than £20,000 a year as an income for himself, most of his employees make more than him and that was only last couple of years, before that he was living hand to mouth. This year he should be able to take about £25,000 for himself but matters should improve for him quite quickly after that, unless he decides to raise more capital to expand that is....or if the recession goes into double-dip and hits him harder than the first dip (being a clever chap, he managed to restructure at the right time and was virtually unscathed)
The point is that I and the chap I mentioned have invested our time and money in our futures. We have also taken significant risks with that time and money.
Is that not what students are being asked to do? But with, perhaps, a bit less risk.
The difference is that they do not have to find the capital up front. They will only have to repay it if/when they earn over £21,000 and the less well off will not even have to borrow that and can get grants.
So what is wrong with the student fee system? - nothing at all.
That is why my client considers the protesters a bunch of useless good for nothing layabouts. He has a point.
Looked at this way the policy is fair and reasonable and the protesters should damn well get back to Uni and get on with their studies.