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Wealthiest *85* have as much as poorest *3.5bn.*

(3 Posts)
Eloethan Wed 22-Jan-14 00:04:46

A report in The I on Monday was headlined "Wealthiest 85 have as much as poorest 3.5bn ", and went on to say that the 85 richest people on the planet have accumulated as much wealth between them as half of the world's population.

Meanwhile, in the developing world huge numbers of people have no access to clean water, food and medicine and are dying in the tens of thousands of malnutrition and treatable illnesses.

In the so-called "developed world", the words "public spending" (for hospitals, schools, housing, social care, etc.) are treated with contempt and public service workers are constantly criticised and belittled. I would far rather see our population's labour and resources used to serve the public than to serve a handful of greedy multi-billionaires, and yet hands are thrown up in horror when there is a suggestion that we increase taxes on the wealthy.

Yes, let's have some austerity. Let's have it for these greedy people who say they are the "wealth creators" but whose wealth seems to be created almost entirely for their own benefit. And do these people singlehandedly create such wealth? No, it is created by the millions of people all over the world who live from hand to mouth and don't have the benefit of fiddling their taxes.

When are we going to get politicians that are brave enough to denounce the way our economic system has been completely hijacked by the rich and powerful?

durhamjen Wed 22-Jan-14 00:11:32

Well said, Eloethan. Just brought this up again on the foodbank thread. Too important not to crossthread.
Today's news in the North East is that over 100 frontline firefighters are to be made redundant and 3 firestations closed down.
Another 100+ families up here to be on the breadline.

Eloethan Wed 22-Jan-14 15:04:44

I can't understand why there isn't more outrage about this crazy situation - where a handful of people, in effect, control the lives of millions of others.