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IELTS Essay: Some people think that it is the responsibility of the government of a countr...

Prompt

Some people think that it is the responsibility of the government of a country to ensure a healthy lifestyle for its people, while others believe that individuals should be free to make decisions for their lifestyles. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

#government responsibility for health#personal freedom#paternalism#public health vs. autonomy#health policy

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Band 7 → 9 — Band 7 presents both views as equally valid, while Band 9 recognizes that the tension can be resolved through policy design (e.g., incentives vs. mandates) and discusses when government role expands (e.g., pandemic, public health emergencies).

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Key concepts in this essay

autonomy and paternalism
externalities and collective action problems
public health interventions (nudges, incentives, regulations)
health equity and access
trade-offs between freedom and collective benefit

Pitfalls the model essay avoids

Treating 'ensuring healthy lifestyle' too vaguely (does this mean mandates, incentives, education, all three?)
Ignoring cases where individual choice causes collective harm (e.g., contagion, healthcare cost burden)
Not discussing different policy mechanisms that fall between pure mandate and pure freedom

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