US & UK are poor societies with some very rich people.

I’m not sure you could compare the UK,or Australia, come to that, with some very poor countries. Not many would die of starvation in either country because there is a welfare system.Certainly not as visible as it is in some of the poorer Asian and African countries ( which certainly also contain extremely rich people and don’t share their wealth)

People die of starvation in Britain.

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-hounded-disabled-woman-for-years-before-her-starvation-death-papers-show/

It’s changed then. I find that difficult to comprehend.

It has changed nanna8. This country is on its knees.

Not sure what your point is volver. The woman had money but wouldn’t spend it on food or bills. We will never know what caused the problems with her benefits but it’s possible that, given her mental health issues, she didn’t engage with the DWP to provide the necessary information.

In a way, it's more shocking that people die here, and can be undiscovered for weeks/months, because they have fallen through the net.

In answer to the question in the OP; the wealth should be better distributed around the population.

I would prefer people to give generously to charity and roll up sleeves to help the poor, as part of peoples everyday life.

I have no problem with extreme wealth, as with that comes the ability to give back, worldwide, extremely huge amounts. Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, McKenzie Scott, Warren Buffet come to mind.

Bill Gates: "The Microsoft co-founder announced this week that he's donating $20 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, while reiterating his pledge to give away “virtually all of my wealth to the foundation” and eventually drop off the list of the world's wealthiest people altogether. Jul 15, 2022"

www.gatesfoundation.org/about/foundation-fact-sheet

volver

People die of starvation in Britain.

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-hounded-disabled-woman-for-years-before-her-starvation-death-papers-show/

Having read your link, this is not a simple case, it is multi faceted.

But, MissA, this woman had a mother.

I agree, Norah. A lot of wealthy people do good with their money but don’t shout about it.

nanna8

I’m not sure you could compare the UK,or Australia, come to that, with some very poor countries. Not many would die of starvation in either country because there is a welfare system.Certainly not as visible as it is in some of the poorer Asian and African countries ( which certainly also contain extremely rich people and don’t share their wealth)

Did you read the thread, nanna8?

Not getting at you,you just happen to be the person who made a comment which others might make as well, but this unwillingness to believe evidence, which commentators have spent time in gathering and presenting, is part of our problem.

Maybe I should spend some time copying and pasting some relevant parts of it, but it really needs to be read to appreciate the graphs that accompany it.

I watched a dispatches video of a man who starved slowly to death in an unheated flat, due to him not responding to the dwp and them eventually stopping his money.

I have no problem with some people being very wealthy as long as they pay the correct rate and amount of tax thus contributing to the running of the country with all that that involves including benefits and health care.

Germanshepherdsmum

But, MissA, this woman had a mother.

I agree, Norah. A lot of wealthy people do good with their money but don’t shout about it.

How very Victorian of you, GSM.

In a wealthy country nobody should have to rely on wealthy people's charity for their basic sustenance.

As long as those earning money pay the appropriate taxes I have not got a problem with wealth.

There does need to be a conversation regarding raising the minimum wage to what is being called a living wage. As I understand it this could push up prices of food and goods and increase inflation.

It should not be allowed for employers to pay so little that their employees need to get a top up via benefits. This is an area that definitely needs examining.

Ideally, certain standards should be kept up for the poorest people, but those seem to be slipping backwards.

Aveline

I have no problem with some people being very wealthy as long as they pay the correct rate and amount of tax thus contributing to the running of the country with all that that involves including benefits and health care.

I think you are completely missing the point of this and Burn-Murdoch's thread.

We're not talking about 'people being wealthy'. It's not a 'knock the wealthy' thread. We're talking about the distribution of wealth and its effects on living standards across the whole country.

So giving to charity is Victorian? Well I’m happy to be Victorian then. Better just to sit on your money and watch it grow until the State confiscates it for redistribution perhaps.

MaizieD

Germanshepherdsmum

But, MissA, this woman had a mother.

I agree, Norah. A lot of wealthy people do good with their money but don’t shout about it.

How very Victorian of you, GSM.

In a wealthy country nobody should have to rely on wealthy people's charity for their basic sustenance.

Are you suggesting that those who can and do charitable work and donate vast sums of their own money shouldn’t MaizieD ?

Some consider it a moral duty to give back to society, and calling them Victorian by way if an insult is not very charitable of you.

As long as those earning money pay the appropriate taxes I have not got a problem with wealth.

See my response to Aveline above.

But you are knocking the wealthy Maizie. You are advocating redistribution of wealth and mocking charity.

Germanshepherdsmum

Not sure what your point is volver. The woman had money but wouldn’t spend it on food or bills. We will never know what caused the problems with her benefits but it’s possible that, given her mental health issues, she didn’t engage with the DWP to provide the necessary information.

Oh I see it's her own fault because she had mental health problems and "didn't engage" what a ridiculous argument. All the agencies involved let this women down. And she died because an inadequately funded system, which is based on the ability to fill in forms, argue and persevere, and not on need, completely failed her. The system is completely broken.
We no longer have a society which looks after the needs of the weakest and most vulnerable and of course people are dying because of this.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

Germanshepherdsmum

But, MissA, this woman had a mother.

I agree, Norah. A lot of wealthy people do good with their money but don’t shout about it.

How very Victorian of you, GSM.

In a wealthy country nobody should have to rely on wealthy people's charity for their basic sustenance.

Are you suggesting that those who can and do charitable work and donate vast sums of their own money shouldn’t MaizieD ?

Some consider it a moral duty to give back to society, and calling them Victorian by way if an insult is not very charitable of you.

Why is it that a serious thread about wealth distribution turns into a 'defend the wealthy' thread?

No-one in a supposedly wealthy country should have to depend on charity for their existence.

How do you propose to redistribute the wealthy folks earned income?

Confiscate a percentage of their bank balance and hold a lottery for the poorest in society to see who gets a bit?