Richest 10% are 100 times as wealthy as the poorest 10%.

[ChezGiven 0]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan...-britain-report

 

The new findings show that the household wealth of the top 10% of the population stands at £853,000 and more – over 100 times higher than the wealth of the poorest 10%, which is £8,800 or below (a sum including cars and other possessions).

 

When the highest-paid workers, such as bankers and chief executives, are put into the equation, the division in wealth is even more stark, with individuals in the top 1% of the population each possessing total household wealth of £2.6m or more.

 

The report follows research published by Save the Children which revealed that 13% of the UK's children were now living in severe poverty, and that efforts to reduce child poverty had been stalling even before the recession began in 2008.

 

Compared with a white British Christian man with similar qualifications, age and occupation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men have an income that is 13-21% lower. Nearly half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani households are in poverty.

 

Fucked tbh.

[AgentAxeman 93]

Socialism in ACTION!!

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

[Happy Face 29]

• While provision of basic education for all would require $6 billion, $8 billion is spent on cosmetics in the US;
  
• While water and sanitation for all would require $9 I billion, Europeans spend $11 billion on ice cream.
  
• While reproductive health for all women would cost $12 billion, Europeans and Americans spend $12 billion on perfumes.
  
• While basic health needs could be provided for $13 billion, people spend $17 billion on pet food in the US and Europe.
  

[Guest alex]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

[Park Life 71]

• While provision of basic education for all would require $6 billion, $8 billion is spent on cosmetics in the US;
  
• While water and sanitation for all would require $9 I billion, Europeans spend $11 billion on ice cream.
  
• While reproductive health for all women would cost $12 billion, Europeans and Americans spend $12 billion on perfumes.
  
• While basic health needs could be provided for $13 billion, people spend $17 billion on pet food in the US and Europe.
  

 

I blame those pets for nearly all ills in society from global warming to selfish behaviour.

[ChezGiven 0]

• While provision of basic education for all would require $6 billion, $8 billion is spent on cosmetics in the US;
  
• While water and sanitation for all would require $9 I billion, Europeans spend $11 billion on ice cream.
  
• While reproductive health for all women would cost $12 billion, Europeans and Americans spend $12 billion on perfumes.
  
• While basic health needs could be provided for $13 billion, people spend $17 billion on pet food in the US and Europe.
  

 

People (greed) are to blame?

[Park Life 71]

• While provision of basic education for all would require $6 billion, $8 billion is spent on cosmetics in the US;
  
• While water and sanitation for all would require $9 I billion, Europeans spend $11 billion on ice cream.
  
• While reproductive health for all women would cost $12 billion, Europeans and Americans spend $12 billion on perfumes.
  
• While basic health needs could be provided for $13 billion, people spend $17 billion on pet food in the US and Europe.
  

 

People (greed) are to blame?

 

I alaways blame the people. It's just too easy to blame the elite. The problem is there is a threshold of how bad things can get before people do anything and in most western countries we're miles off it.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Park Life

[Park Life 71]

This is the kind of thing society as a whole is up against.

 

 

Davos 2010: Barclays' Bob Diamond attacks Obama's banking plans

Speaking on the opening day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Diamond said the growth in 'large, integrated, universal banks' had been a response to market forces

 

Bob Diamond

 

Barclays head Bob Diamond has warned that Obama's banking reforms will stifle global trade. Photograph: Sarah Lee/guardian.co.uk

 

Barclays' president, Bob Diamond, warned today that Barack Obama's plans to limit the size of banks would hit jobs, growth and global trade.

 

Speaking on the opening day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Diamond said the growth in "large, integrated, universal banks" had been a response to market forces in the post-communist world.

 

"They [the big banks] fulfilled an important function in helping governments and corporates to transfer risk, particularly across borders," Diamond added.

 

"Did banks get big because they wanted to or were they following their clients, their customers and the markets? Was it for an economic purpose?"

 

Finding a way of preventing a re-run of the 2007 financial crisis is a key theme of this year's Davos forum and has been given added impetus by last week's White House announcement that the US would put restrictions on the size and the activities of Wall Street banks.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

 

 

It doesnt, I just find it bollox when the assumption is made that the banker has a better quality of life than the part time trolley collector at asda.

 

While it varies at both ends of the scale top earners can quite naturally be totally driven workaholics and so caught up in the business world that their personal life suffers. Also their lifestyles are usually full of work related stress which is less common in the low wage earners who can quite easily turn off when the day ends.

[Park Life 71]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

 

 

It doesnt, I just find it bollox when the assumption is made that the banker has a better quality of life than the part time trolley collector at asda.

 

While it varies at both ends of the scale top earners can quite naturally be totally driven workaholics and so caught up in the business world that their personal life suffers. Also their lifestyles are usually full of work related stress which is less common in the low wage earners who can quite easily turn off when the day ends.

 

Isn't there loads of data around that top earners burn out at 40 or suffer life changing health issues?

 

I think the idea is to close the gap a little in the sense that the poorest should have access to the basics and oppurtunities.

[Guest alex]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

 

 

It doesnt, I just find it bollox when the assumption is made that the banker has a better quality of life than the part time trolley collector at asda.

 

While it varies at both ends of the scale top earners can quite naturally be totally driven workaholics and so caught up in the business world that their personal life suffers. Also their lifestyles are usually full of work related stress which is less common in the low wage earners who can quite easily turn off when the day ends.

Mind, I bet some of them retire when they're about 35 as well which can't be bad.

[Guest Stevie]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan...-britain-report

 

The new findings show that the household wealth of the top 10% of the population stands at £853,000 and more – over 100 times higher than the wealth of the poorest 10%, which is £8,800 or below (a sum including cars and other possessions).

 

When the highest-paid workers, such as bankers and chief executives, are put into the equation, the division in wealth is even more stark, with individuals in the top 1% of the population each possessing total household wealth of £2.6m or more.

 

The report follows research published by Save the Children which revealed that 13% of the UK's children were now living in severe poverty, and that efforts to reduce child poverty had been stalling even before the recession began in 2008.

 

Compared with a white British Christian man with similar qualifications, age and occupation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men have an income that is 13-21% lower. Nearly half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani households are in poverty.

 

Fucked tbh.

Luxury to living over there though surely.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

 

 

It doesnt, I just find it bollox when the assumption is made that the banker has a better quality of life than the part time trolley collector at asda.

 

While it varies at both ends of the scale top earners can quite naturally be totally driven workaholics and so caught up in the business world that their personal life suffers. Also their lifestyles are usually full of work related stress which is less common in the low wage earners who can quite easily turn off when the day ends.

Mind, I bet some of them retire when they're about 35 as well which can't be bad.

 

Agreed but very few do and most wouldnt have a clue what to do next!

[Christmas Tree 4005]

As this thread runs off the rails world wide, the opening post was about the poor in Britain.

 

There is poverty at the extremes but on the whole they make these "gaps" up and the everyday gaps in daily living are not that great.

[Guest alex]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

 

 

It doesnt, I just find it bollox when the assumption is made that the banker has a better quality of life than the part time trolley collector at asda.

 

While it varies at both ends of the scale top earners can quite naturally be totally driven workaholics and so caught up in the business world that their personal life suffers. Also their lifestyles are usually full of work related stress which is less common in the low wage earners who can quite easily turn off when the day ends.

Mind, I bet some of them retire when they're about 35 as well which can't be bad.

 

Agreed but very few do and most wouldnt have a clue what to do next!

Aye, I think a lot probably plan to do it but are so driven they find it hard. Easy to say when you're not like that I suppose but I wouldn't want to be like that.

Also, by retire I mean retire from the rat race to pursue other, less stressful, interests.

[Guest alex]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan...-britain-report

 

The new findings show that the household wealth of the top 10% of the population stands at £853,000 and more – over 100 times higher than the wealth of the poorest 10%, which is £8,800 or below (a sum including cars and other possessions).

 

When the highest-paid workers, such as bankers and chief executives, are put into the equation, the division in wealth is even more stark, with individuals in the top 1% of the population each possessing total household wealth of £2.6m or more.

 

The report follows research published by Save the Children which revealed that 13% of the UK's children were now living in severe poverty, and that efforts to reduce child poverty had been stalling even before the recession began in 2008.

 

Compared with a white British Christian man with similar qualifications, age and occupation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men have an income that is 13-21% lower. Nearly half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani households are in poverty.

 

Fucked tbh.

Luxury to living over there though surely.

All relative though, isn't it? Many will have been born here too.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

Thing is too many associate wealth with happiness and it is total bollox.

 

There are so many other things to take into consideration such as health , relationships, family life , stress etc etc.

I take your point to an extent but poverty doesn't exactly help the other things you mention either.

 

 

It doesnt, I just find it bollox when the assumption is made that the banker has a better quality of life than the part time trolley collector at asda.

 

While it varies at both ends of the scale top earners can quite naturally be totally driven workaholics and so caught up in the business world that their personal life suffers. Also their lifestyles are usually full of work related stress which is less common in the low wage earners who can quite easily turn off when the day ends.

Mind, I bet some of them retire when they're about 35 as well which can't be bad.

 

Agreed but very few do and most wouldnt have a clue what to do next!

Aye, I think a lot probably plan to do it but are so driven they find it hard. Easy to say when you're not like that I suppose but I wouldn't want to be like that.

Also, by retire I mean retire from the rat race to pursue other, less stressful, interests.

 

I used to yearn to get back into the rat race. It was like a drug. The thought of it now fills me with dread.

 

My eldest daughter has just joined the rat race selling in a bank in Newcastle. Its horrible being supportive in her excitement for the job while at the same time knowing that those pats on the back from the manager and local directors will vanish into thin air as soon as the tragets are missed. (which they will be at some point).

[ChezGiven 0]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan...-britain-report

 

The new findings show that the household wealth of the top 10% of the population stands at £853,000 and more – over 100 times higher than the wealth of the poorest 10%, which is £8,800 or below (a sum including cars and other possessions).

 

When the highest-paid workers, such as bankers and chief executives, are put into the equation, the division in wealth is even more stark, with individuals in the top 1% of the population each possessing total household wealth of £2.6m or more.

 

The report follows research published by Save the Children which revealed that 13% of the UK's children were now living in severe poverty, and that efforts to reduce child poverty had been stalling even before the recession began in 2008.

 

Compared with a white British Christian man with similar qualifications, age and occupation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men have an income that is 13-21% lower. Nearly half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani households are in poverty.

 

Fucked tbh.

Luxury to living over there though surely.

 

I put that bit in just for you

[ChezGiven 0]

As this thread runs off the rails world wide, the opening post was about the poor in Britain.

 

There is poverty at the extremes but on the whole they make these "gaps" up and the everyday gaps in daily living are not that great.

 

Its not about poverty per se either though, its about inequality.

 

A nice index is the Hoover Index. This estimates the total proportion of wealth that needs to be re-distributed to achieve an equal distribution. If you have 5, I have 5 and Alex has 20, the Hoover index is in simple terms 33.3%, ie. alex gives us 5 each (10 from a total of 30) and then we all have 10 each.

 

Britain has a GDP, its national wealth, which is divided up between us through various mechanisms, the question is how fair are those mechanisms? These mechanisms are making it worse according to this report.

[Guest Stevie]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan...-britain-report

 

The new findings show that the household wealth of the top 10% of the population stands at £853,000 and more – over 100 times higher than the wealth of the poorest 10%, which is £8,800 or below (a sum including cars and other possessions).

 

When the highest-paid workers, such as bankers and chief executives, are put into the equation, the division in wealth is even more stark, with individuals in the top 1% of the population each possessing total household wealth of £2.6m or more.

 

The report follows research published by Save the Children which revealed that 13% of the UK's children were now living in severe poverty, and that efforts to reduce child poverty had been stalling even before the recession began in 2008.

 

Compared with a white British Christian man with similar qualifications, age and occupation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men have an income that is 13-21% lower. Nearly half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani households are in poverty.

 

Fucked tbh.

Luxury to living over there though surely.

 

I put that bit in just for you

Am I that predictable?

[ChezGiven 0]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan...-britain-report

 

The new findings show that the household wealth of the top 10% of the population stands at £853,000 and more – over 100 times higher than the wealth of the poorest 10%, which is £8,800 or below (a sum including cars and other possessions).

 

When the highest-paid workers, such as bankers and chief executives, are put into the equation, the division in wealth is even more stark, with individuals in the top 1% of the population each possessing total household wealth of £2.6m or more.

 

The report follows research published by Save the Children which revealed that 13% of the UK's children were now living in severe poverty, and that efforts to reduce child poverty had been stalling even before the recession began in 2008.

 

Compared with a white British Christian man with similar qualifications, age and occupation, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men have an income that is 13-21% lower. Nearly half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani households are in poverty.

 

Fucked tbh.

Luxury to living over there though surely.

 

I put that bit in just for you

Am I that predictable?

Nah mate, you're like a bad batch of fireworks.

[Christmas Tree 4005]

As this thread runs off the rails world wide, the opening post was about the poor in Britain.

 

There is poverty at the extremes but on the whole they make these "gaps" up and the everyday gaps in daily living are not that great.

 

Its not about poverty per se either though, its about inequality.

 

A nice index is the Hoover Index. This estimates the total proportion of wealth that needs to be re-distributed to achieve an equal distribution. If you have 5, I have 5 and Alex has 20, the Hoover index is in simple terms 33.3%, ie. alex gives us 5 each (10 from a total of 30) and then we all have 10 each.

 

Britain has a GDP, its national wealth, which is divided up between us through various mechanisms, the question is how fair are those mechanisms? These mechanisms are making it worse according to this report.

 

But in what way is it making it worse....Examples?

 

I live in an area where half a mile one way live millionaires, half a mile the other way live low paid, unemployed etc.

 

Quite often both sides shop at the same supermarket, kids go to the same school, drink in the same bars, go to the same hospitals, have the same xbox's, big tv's etc etc on a daily basis.

 

I think if the poor of 20 years ago saw the poor of today they would consider todays poor rich or at the least middle class.

[ChezGiven 0]

As this thread runs off the rails world wide, the opening post was about the poor in Britain.

 

There is poverty at the extremes but on the whole they make these "gaps" up and the everyday gaps in daily living are not that great.

 

Its not about poverty per se either though, its about inequality.

 

A nice index is the Hoover Index. This estimates the total proportion of wealth that needs to be re-distributed to achieve an equal distribution. If you have 5, I have 5 and Alex has 20, the Hoover index is in simple terms 33.3%, ie. alex gives us 5 each (10 from a total of 30) and then we all have 10 each.

 

Britain has a GDP, its national wealth, which is divided up between us through various mechanisms, the question is how fair are those mechanisms? These mechanisms are making it worse according to this report.

 

But in what way is it making it worse....Examples?

 

I live in an area where half a mile one way live millionaires, half a mile the other way live low paid, unemployed etc.

 

Quite often both sides shop at the same supermarket, kids go to the same school, drink in the same bars, go to the same hospitals, have the same xbox's, big tv's etc etc on a daily basis.

 

I think if the poor of 20 years ago saw the poor of today they would consider todays poor rich or at the least middle class.

 

The inequality indices show that Britain's distribution of income is more unequal now than it was under Thatcher. The thing is, how will things look in another 20 years now that the poor cant get the credit to buy the x-boxes anymore?

[Guest alex]

As this thread runs off the rails world wide, the opening post was about the poor in Britain.

 

There is poverty at the extremes but on the whole they make these "gaps" up and the everyday gaps in daily living are not that great.

 

Its not about poverty per se either though, its about inequality.

 

A nice index is the Hoover Index. This estimates the total proportion of wealth that needs to be re-distributed to achieve an equal distribution. If you have 5, I have 5 and Alex has 20, the Hoover index is in simple terms 33.3%, ie. alex gives us 5 each (10 from a total of 30) and then we all have 10 each.

 

Britain has a GDP, its national wealth, which is divided up between us through various mechanisms, the question is how fair are those mechanisms? These mechanisms are making it worse according to this report.

 

But in what way is it making it worse....Examples?

 

I live in an area where half a mile one way live millionaires, half a mile the other way live low paid, unemployed etc.

 

Quite often both sides shop at the same supermarket, kids go to the same school, drink in the same bars, go to the same hospitals, have the same xbox's, big tv's etc etc on a daily basis.

 

I think if the poor of 20 years ago saw the poor of today they would consider todays poor rich or at the least middle class.

Worse as in the gap is widening I guess. Also, people judge themselves against other people now rather than against people in the past.