How The Rest Of The World Treats Its Jobless

[Boom Boom]

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/211291/How-does-the-rest-of-the-world-treat-its-jobless

Bit of an own goal by the Express this article. Clearly the editorial line is that the British system is overly generous when compared to America's. What actually comes out of the article though is the little mentioned fact that Britain has about the least generous unemployment benefit systems in Europe. For all the fuss in the media you'd get the impression that the British system was wildly extravagant. Interestingly, our greatest extravagances are in the extent to which we do absolutely nothing to address corporate tax fiddles, indeed we are the best in Europe by a large margin at doing nothing to recover this money. Strangely, you won't find many articles referencing this fact in the right-wing media, obviously attacking unemplyed people at a time when there are many more jobseekers than jobs is far more important.

[aa3]

One subtle way to shift blame I notice is the people in power blame the jobless for not finding a good job.

They don't blame themselves for not creating many good jobs in the society. And by themselves I'm including members of the 'opposition' parties.

But honestly say a steel mill shuts down and an area loses 5,000 goods jobs, there is not much the little people can do about it. What are they going to do start up a world competitive steel plant out of their garage? Thats where the powerful people come in with the power of the state and major corporations to come in and create good jobs by the thousands. But our leaders have abdicated that responsibility.

[1929crash]

I fear we are heading back to the workhouse society - don't/can't work and you end up being incarcerated and doing forced labour.

[exiges]

What actually comes out of the article though is the little mentioned fact that Britain has about the least generous unemployment benefit systems in Europe.

I disagree. For short term unemployment, yes Europe pays more, but for long term unemployment the UK is more generous.

Which do you think encourages long term unemployment and which helps those temporarily out of work ?

[tahoma]

The government cannot create productive jobs. It can throw other people's money around and create temporary roles, but it cannot create productivity.

All it can do is get the hell out the way. If there were not so much red tape, I would employ 2 people next week. Food on tables, etc.

[Ruffneck]

Time to cut VAT in half and make up the difference on import tariffs.

[Harry Monk]

Time to cut VAT in half and make up the difference on import tariffs.

Don't know why we haven't done it already, particularly in the case of China. We seem determined to export our wealth to a country which will one day attack us.

[Trampa501]

Don't know why we haven't done it already, particularly in the case of China. We seem determined to export our wealth to a country which will one day attack us.

I don't think China's interested in attacking anyone. They just want our markets, our trade, our wealth etc. When we decay into an off-shore workhouse (or maybe prison camp) and with no armed defences left (too expensive you see) we will no longer pose a threat to anyone, and thus have been defeated without a battle.

[ken_ichikawa]

One subtle way to shift blame I notice is the people in power blame the jobless for not finding a good job.

They don't blame themselves for not creating many good jobs in the society.

I've seen this first hand a few times. The accountancy industry is apparently crying out due to a huge shortage of accountants....... almost all of my bosses including the bullies have complained about not being able to get the staff....

So do they increase wages to attract staff? Nope they reduce them instead, outsource, heh even more insidious was when accountants of a certain area would all get together every 6 months and form a cartel type arrangement. Where they would agree to limit pay increases and would also keep a range in the billing too.

[ken_ichikawa]

Don't know why we haven't done it already, particularly in the case of China. We seem determined to export our wealth to a country which will one day attack us.

In the 1800s I'm pretty sure the Chinese emperor and his enterage thought the same way about the British empire and the carving up of China with the un-equal treaties. Same with the indians. They do the same back to us and we have the gall to complain about it? Smells of hypocracy doesn't it?

[Harry Sacks]

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/211291/How-does-the-rest-of-the-world-treat-its-jobless

Bit of an own goal by the Express this article. Clearly the editorial line is that the British system is overly generous when compared to America's. What actually comes out of the article though is the little mentioned fact that Britain has about the least generous unemployment benefit systems in Europe. For all the fuss in the media you'd get the impression that the British system was wildly extravagant. Interestingly, our greatest extravagances are in the extent to which we do absolutely nothing to address corporate tax fiddles, indeed we are the best in Europe by a large margin at doing nothing to recover this money. Strangely, you won't find many articles referencing this fact in the right-wing media, obviously attacking unemplyed people at a time when there are many more jobseekers than jobs is far more important.

"The more you can increase fear of drugs and crime, welfare mothers, immigrants and aliens, the more you control all the people" Noam A. Chomsky

[Harry Sacks]

Don't know why we haven't done it already, particularly in the case of China. We seem determined to export our wealth to a country which will one day attack us.

Yes.

[nixy]

The government cannot create productive jobs. It can throw other people's money around and create temporary roles, but it cannot create productivity.

All it can do is get the hell out the way. If there were not so much red tape, I would employ 2 people next week. Food on tables, etc.

very +1

I started a business when taxes and regulation was low (1982). Employed over 20 staff at one point. I closed it when taxes and rules (and liabilities) were increasing (2000). I could start employing again, but not until taxes & regs are much lower.

However, I must be brutally honest here, and confess probably 70% of TO was public money....... but 30 % wasn't.

[pyracantha]

I don't think China's interested in attacking anyone. They just want our markets, our trade, our wealth etc. When we decay into an off-shore workhouse (or maybe prison camp) and with no armed defences left (too expensive you see) we will no longer pose a threat to anyone, and thus have been defeated without a battle.

I think it's far to say that China has been attacking us for a long time: cyberwarfare, economic policies etc. Just because no one is being shot doesn't mean we aren't under attack.

[Ruffneck]

I think the theory of post Second World War is that increased wealth should reduce war.

Sounds as dumb as the Pre world war I mantra.

Create two opposing factions so powerful that they would not attack each other.

[Ruffneck]

Some examples?

http://digg.com/news/technology/Chinese_Military_Hacks_the_Pentagon

[pyracantha]

Some examples?

Telegraph from 2 years ago:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/3495181/China-using-cyberwarfare-to-challenge-US-power.html

Times 3 years ago:

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article2409865.ece

Where have you been?

[madpenguin]

I think it's far to say that China has been attacking us for a long time: cyberwarfare, economic policies etc. Just because no one is being shot doesn't mean we aren't under attack.

To be honest I think China has enough to think about in improving infrastructure and the general standard of living in their own country than to be thinking about using war to expand their control

Historically China has always been a trader, only the communist years (I mean the cultural revolution, little red book kind) disrupted this.

Most wars are really about resources, and with China's land area I just don't think they have those kind of problems, and with the large amount of foreign currency they have anything they can't get within their own borders they can just buy, why bother with war, it hasn't done the US economy any favors has it? (or the UK's for that matter).

I have seen enough evidence of cyber attacks from various countries (including some that originate from China) to believe that some cyber attacks may be government financed, and some security specialists have also told me the same thing, however I think this is more like the Russian thing of flying a bomber close to our airspace to see how fast fighters are scrambled, it could just as well be someone in their military saying "if they attacked us tomorrow, by how much could we disrupt their infrastructure" as any evil plan to attack.

[the shaping machine]

I've seen this first hand a few times. The accountancy industry is apparently crying out due to a huge shortage of accountants....... almost all of my bosses including the bullies have complained about not being able to get the staff....

So do they increase wages to attract staff? Nope they reduce them instead, outsource, heh even more insidious was when accountants of a certain area would all get together every 6 months and form a cartel type arrangement. Where they would agree to limit pay increases and would also keep a range in the billing too.

You could try being an engineer; 2/3rds the pay of an accountant + the joy of arts grads believing you do something with a spanner all day...

.