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Tuesday 8 November 2011

Occupation and Capitalism

Occupy camps are springing up all over the country, in fact, all over the capitalist countries of the world. It's hard, in the light of the current economic turmoil, not to have some sympathy with what they are saying, but there is always that undercurrent of extremism that makes the average person feel a little uneasy.
I don't have a problem with saying that the system is far from perfect. It's certainly true that the rich run the show and have a vested interest in making themselves richer and keeping the rest of us in our dutiful place, where we have little choice but to do the necessary donkey work. It's also true that many of the super rich don't pay their fair share, using every loophole to escape taxation, whilst the rest of us are hounded for every last penny.
But is capitalism itself to blame? Would things be better if we all earned the same? Would quality of life be better if we gave up our ambition to improve our lot? Surely not.
Life would be better for the majority if the minority who take the lion's share had been taught not to be so greedy when they were children. Life would be better if directors experienced some sense of shame for taking colossal pay rises whilst at the same time telling their staff to take pay cuts.
Sadly, I don't think there's any way to legislate that into society.

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