MAKING A LIVING 16

Post Reply
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 99720
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

MAKING A LIVING 16

Post by Stanley »

MAKING A LIVING 16

We arrive at the present day. You'd think that after all this experience of living in a world ruled by money we'd have found how to manage the system. In 2008 we found that we were in the hands of greedy and unscrupulous men who had encouraged debt, created phantom assets to keep the flow of money going and finally, because they were incompetent and didn't fully understand the Frankenstein they had created failed and turned to us to rescue them. Harsh words but unfortunately true.
This was a global failure and it has made making a living harder all round. The worst aspect of it is that it has driven a wedge between the haves and the have-nots. The average disposable income fell by almost 2% in the first half of the year but it was worse than this because it is masked by a 7% rise in the highest incomes. Add to this the disproportionate rise in prices of basic needs like energy, transport and food which are a higher percentage of the expenses of the poorest and we have a perfect storm which shows no signs of abating. The official view is more cuts and austerity till 2020. I'm afraid I don't believe this because they are talking about averages. In effect we have mortgaged the future of our children.
The difference I see between this and the situation in years gone by is that no matter how bad the situation was, at least there was reason to think that the children would see an improvement. All right, there were hitches along the way like war, disease and trade depressions but the story of the last two hundred years has been one of gradual overall improvement. What we have now are leaders who are millionaires telling us that if we tighten our belts things will get better. At the same time we see a proposal to set up a food bank in the area, teachers taking cast-off children's clothes into school for the most deprived of their pupils and basic services like social care being starved of cash. The biggest growth area on high streets all over the land is in betting shops and pay day loan companies charging obscene rates of interest to people who can't afford to pay the debts. The TV advertising is full of bingo sites and advertisements for get rich quick schemes by no win no fee solicitors encouraging 'accident victims' to sue for damages.
What would the old Barlickers make of all this? Their society was often deprived but they thrived on honest hard work and gave us the town we have today. I suspect they would be totally bemused by the situation we find ourselves in. I feel sorry for the young deprived of that first essential job which paid a small wage but educated them in the world of work. We have cheated them and making a living was never harder. Is what we have to report progress?

Image

20p an hour in 1960 but a living wage.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Old age isn't for cissies!
User avatar
plaques
Donor
Posts: 8094
Joined: 23 May 2013, 22:09

Re: MAKING A LIVING 16

Post by plaques »

One of the things that annoys me is that when firms restructure, ie: reduce the size of their workforce, they often try to soften the blow by saying it will be open to those wishing to take early retirement. This may be a genuine consideration or a veiled threat that they would be going anyhow. The end product is still job losses with the majority of those taking the offer unable to register on job seekers allowance because of the redundancy pay. They have now entered that no-man's land of too much money to claim benefit, often too old for a full time job and not worthwhile registering for work that isn’t available. The sad thing is that they become statistically invisible on government figures. So everything in the garden is rosy!
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 99720
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: MAKING A LIVING 16

Post by Stanley »

Quite. We are racing down the road to 19th century laisser faire and at the moment there's nothing we can do to stop it. As you've probably noticed I have to work hard to contain my anger!
That was the last of this series, next week we start on an investigation of Paganism, Druids, Cistercian monks and similar interesting subjects. I've written enough articles to last till March.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Old age isn't for cissies!
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 99720
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: MAKING A LIVING 16

Post by Stanley »

Bumped and it is still well worth reading. I don't think I was a long way out.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Old age isn't for cissies!
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 99720
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: MAKING A LIVING 16

Post by Stanley »

Bumped again. Notice that the forecast then was for austerity to last until 2020. Then look at what has happened, we are worse off now than we were after the credit crunch. The gap between rich and poor grows ever wider and we slide into recession as the mechanisms of governance fall into disarray..
Something is wrong with the system surely?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Old age isn't for cissies!
User avatar
Stanley
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 99720
Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.

Re: MAKING A LIVING 16

Post by Stanley »

And as you may have noticed the situation has worsened again. Austerity is still with us and in many cases is going to be worse this winter. We seem to have learned nothing!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net

"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Old age isn't for cissies!
Post Reply

Return to “Stanley's View”