quenkish Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Originally in the UK we had a class system based on your background & job, i.e. landed gentry - professionals - blue collar etc As a country we were obsessed by this class system & the Royal Family. People were expected to know their place and it was very difficult to move up and better oneself. The Tories changed everything & removed all the barriers and attempted to make us all a nation of entrepreneurs. In recent years a new class system has emerged one of rich & poor, of property owners & of non property owners. I have read of many instances recently of doctors & other professionals not being able to afford decent homes for themselves compared to their fellow professionals of many years ago. Yet so called chavs etc are in a much stronger financial position then many of the mentioned professionals. Now in this country you either have to be very rich or be being supported by the state. The ones in the middle are the worst off and are suffering. Am I correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Am I correct? Yes. We now have the Rich Class, the Welfare Class, and the Middle Class (aka 'the poor'). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enworb Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Don't forget criminals. They're richer than anyone. It must get to a point where doctors and the like will have to be paid more. But I don't think police deserve anything extra. They walk around in pairs chatting and too many are corrupt themselves. It is getting to the point where having wealthy parents could be the only way to homeownership. Or getting yourself pregnant and having no prospects is another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobby Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Yes. We now have the Rich Class, the Welfare Class, and the Middle Class (aka 'the poor'). So what is happening I guess ia the rich will always be rich.The welfare class,depending on how many kids or whatever do O.K,and the middle class get burned by taxes.Seems to me that some of the welfare class do better than the middle class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 That's why the Middle Class are at the end of the list: they're the ones getting screwed by inflation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moneymad Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Don't forget criminals. They're richer than anyone. It must get to a point where doctors and the like will have to be paid more. But I don't think police deserve anything extra. They walk around in pairs chatting and too many are corrupt themselves. It is getting to the point where having wealthy parents could be the only way to homeownership. Or getting yourself pregnant and having no prospects is another. And all those in the expanding chav class will always need somewhere to live, funded by the welfare state and therefore most likely in rented accomodation, hopefully one of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedi Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 dont want to hear crap about doctors they earn a fortune. and yes in the world of merry socialism dont get caught in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnd Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 IMO it's just rich and poor - the 'middle class' don't exist anymore - they are now part of the 'poor' 'Human Rights' legislation is decriminalising those currently classed as 'criminals' - this is required legislation - as countries become richer it's well known that 'morality' drops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xavierpj Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 I can agree... I look after a young disabled couple. I don't earn a huge wage as a carer and can just about afford a very small studio in Bournemouth - I work hard to enable me to survive. The couple I look after have a very spacious housing association two bed bungalow at a sensible rent that equates to what I pay for my studio! They receive full housing benefit for their flat, a whole array of disability living allowance that equates to more than my own weekly wage - and that's each, separately! Add onto that zero council tax. Their care bill is covered in its entirety by social services - well into £100k a year. They can go out and buy what they like and have no money worries at all. They travel where they want in their own brand new van escorted by carers. They have surplus amounts each month, although they do have to buy certain equipment that costs quite a sum. The welfare class live better than todays low earners and certainly better than most middle class. I agree that we as a society must look after our vunerable, but a certain number enjoy living standards now better than most people - certainly the pair I look after - courtesy of tax payers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 So what is happening I guess ia the rich will always be rich.The welfare class,depending on how many kids or whatever do O.K,and the middle class get burned by taxes.Seems to me that some of the welfare class do better than the middle class. simple really.the rich get richer because they have the financial clout to take their investments elsewhere if the gov. try to tackle them. ...in laymans terms,the businesses go abroad,as does the finincial listing and so the jobs UK enjoys wil do to......leaving the middle class to carry the can for the increasing amounts of loony social programs like giving alcoholics spending money for booze instead of a bit of cold turkey. the chavs are raking it in and see no reason to complain. time for a bit of tough love????.....celebrity love island to be re-fitted as ultimate re-hab. ...1 year on a remote island,away from everybody apart from medical staff with NO access to drugs or those likely to smuggle contraband....I don't hold out much hope for this scenario ever taking place under current political regimes...but it would work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iLegallyBlonde Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 I can agree... I look after a young disabled couple. I don't earn a huge wage as a carer and can just about afford a very small studio in Bournemouth - I work hard to enable me to survive. The couple I look after have a very spacious housing association two bed bungalow at a sensible rent that equates to what I pay for my studio! They receive full housing benefit for their flat, a whole array of disability living allowance that equates to more than my own weekly wage - and that's each, separately! Add onto that zero council tax. Their care bill is covered in its entirety by social services - well into £100k a year. They can go out and buy what they like and have no money worries at all. They travel where they want in their own brand new van escorted by carers. They have surplus amounts each month, although they do have to buy certain equipment that costs quite a sum. The welfare class live better than todays low earners and certainly better than most middle class. I agree that we as a society must look after our vunerable, but a certain number enjoy living standards now better than most people - certainly the pair I look after - courtesy of tax payers! But the question is would you swap places with them ? My sil is one of the single mums that get benefits and a regular bashing on here but i wouldn't swap places with her and her free hovel for all the tea in china. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamSpartacus Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 I can agree... I look after a young disabled couple. I don't earn a huge wage as a carer and can just about afford a very small studio in Bournemouth - I work hard to enable me to survive. The couple I look after have a very spacious housing association two bed bungalow at a sensible rent that equates to what I pay for my studio! They receive full housing benefit for their flat, a whole array of disability living allowance that equates to more than my own weekly wage - and that's each, separately! Add onto that zero council tax. Their care bill is covered in its entirety by social services - well into £100k a year. They can go out and buy what they like and have no money worries at all. They travel where they want in their own brand new van escorted by carers. They have surplus amounts each month, although they do have to buy certain equipment that costs quite a sum.The welfare class live better than todays low earners and certainly better than most middle class. I agree that we as a society must look after our vunerable, but a certain number enjoy living standards now better than most people - certainly the pair I look after - courtesy of tax payers! Damn, I wish I was disabled too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xavierpj Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 (edited) But the question is would you swap places with them ? I'd swap their housing association bungalow in a nice area for my studio in a rougher area... Like for like price! It is indeed a debate in itself that the not so self sufficient should be given a lifestyle and standard of living better than hard working nurses and carers, teachers and so on. Currently those who do manage to get hold of a council or housing association property are not subject to the same levels of rent and extortion as those who are in the private rented sector. My sil is one of the single mums that get benefits and a regular bashing on here but i wouldn't swap places with her and her free hovel for all the tea in china. Compared to the hovel I live in, her free hovel sounds more attractive on my wage! Its not a case of swapping places with them... its a question of what is provided for them and can it be justified in the greater scheme of things. Yes, It can be justified but the problem is that standard of living and cost of living has now become a huge covered up issue for everyone else... while the welfare scream 'this is my entitlement'! why aren't we shouting 'where is my entitlement of a decent roof over head at a sensible price!!!!' Edited July 28, 2006 by xavierpj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iLegallyBlonde Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 I'd swap their housing association bungalow in a nice area for my studio in a rougher area... Like for like price! It is indeed a debate in itself that the not so self sufficient should be given a lifestyle and standard of living better than hard working nurses and carers, teachers and so on. I do think you're rather missing the point, can they get up out of their wheelchairs and go and earn a living ? Have they really got the same opportunities of a quality life that you have ? I would rather not have a house or disposable income and have the use of my legs i'm pretty sure they would too, have you asked them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrapInThisIsGoingToHurt Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Nobody on here said they genuinely wanted to be disabled. 'Course not. But not many people say they want to be teachers, either, that's why most of my colleagues are from Oz or South Africa! They're on good salaries (say 27-30K) but can they afford housing in the sunny town of Reading? Can they bollock$... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Kill the blue collar/white collar sectors and I think the consumer driven economic model is toast. Modern retail/services is all about volume, you don't get volume turnover with the rump of the population not participating to the hilt. This little economic experiment is going to go very badly wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystal ball Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 dont want to hear crap about doctors they earn a fortune. and yes in the world of merry socialism dont get caught in the middle. My GP commited suicide last week by hanging himself. The reason he did this is because he couldnt handle his financial problems is the reason people round here think he did it. Whats going on ????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liana Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 My GP commited suicide last week by hanging himself. The reason he did this is because he couldnt handle his financial problems is the reason people round here think he did it. Whats going on ????????? That is terribly sad but unless we know the individual personally then speculation is not valid regarding "his finances". Personally I would think being a physician can be quite gloomy, always having to deal with sick and dying people. We have two GPs and two surgeons in our family and they are all wealthy compared to other professionals, obviously excluding the finance people. Many docotors cannot handle their finances; they earn a lot of money and go into the spending mode IMO. Fortunately most of them can afford financial advisors. We can only hope that your GP's family have some strength and support to help them get through this awful situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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