Post by steveb on Feb 1, 2014 16:06:01 GMT
The issue of inequality and the emphasis placed upon addressing inequality within the PM campaign has come up a few times in recent conversation. There is a general concern to maintain a clear distinction between monetary reform ideas on the one hand and on the other, the political drive for equality and a more egalitarian society, and a fear that PM's image will be wrongly seen as 'socialism in a new guise'.
Whilst I sympathise with this to a degree, and can see the advantages of a campaign that is politically non-aligned, the situation regarding wealth distribution is entering truly surreal dimensions.
Oxfam recently published a research paper detailing the escalation of inequality: 85 individuals own as much as half the population of the world. I think that it is worth pondering that for a while- the equivalent of a pub full of people own the same as 3.5 billion people...
Guardian article.
If left to continue, this trend will render campaigning of any sort utterly meaningless, as the political influence bought by big money disfigures politics and democracy itself into a system that only serves the super rich. Should we really be so paranoid about being labelled as a 'left wing' group in such times?
Whilst I sympathise with this to a degree, and can see the advantages of a campaign that is politically non-aligned, the situation regarding wealth distribution is entering truly surreal dimensions.
Oxfam recently published a research paper detailing the escalation of inequality: 85 individuals own as much as half the population of the world. I think that it is worth pondering that for a while- the equivalent of a pub full of people own the same as 3.5 billion people...
Guardian article.
If left to continue, this trend will render campaigning of any sort utterly meaningless, as the political influence bought by big money disfigures politics and democracy itself into a system that only serves the super rich. Should we really be so paranoid about being labelled as a 'left wing' group in such times?