You earn how much?
A new book has come out called Unjust Rewards by Polly Toynbee & David Walker which I think I may buy although it's bound to upset me. It's premise is that the rich are a bunch of selfish and ignorant people who are out of touch with reality.
This premise is probably true.
You need to earn over £23k to be in the top 50% of earners in the country. You need to earn £40k to be in the top 10% and as you approach 100k you'll be in the top 1%. Over £500k to be in the top 0.1%
The bankers interviewed show a breathtaking lack of knowledge of the figures above. They also remain ignorant as to the amount of benifits that might be available to a family of four with no income.
My question is not whether the premise is true or otherwise but whether it matters if it's true?
Does it matter that there is a weathy minority of people in this country who are ignorant of the struggles, overdrafts and day to day problems of the average?
I would say that as long as the peoples representatives in government are aware that's ok. It's their responsibility to ensure those who are most at risk are protected and welfare provided. They need money to do this which is why they tax us. There are two basic ways of raising tax revenue out of the rich, higher tax rates for upper earners or increase the number of upper earners. My gut feeling is that the second way is better.
This premise is probably true.
You need to earn over £23k to be in the top 50% of earners in the country. You need to earn £40k to be in the top 10% and as you approach 100k you'll be in the top 1%. Over £500k to be in the top 0.1%
The bankers interviewed show a breathtaking lack of knowledge of the figures above. They also remain ignorant as to the amount of benifits that might be available to a family of four with no income.
My question is not whether the premise is true or otherwise but whether it matters if it's true?
Does it matter that there is a weathy minority of people in this country who are ignorant of the struggles, overdrafts and day to day problems of the average?
I would say that as long as the peoples representatives in government are aware that's ok. It's their responsibility to ensure those who are most at risk are protected and welfare provided. They need money to do this which is why they tax us. There are two basic ways of raising tax revenue out of the rich, higher tax rates for upper earners or increase the number of upper earners. My gut feeling is that the second way is better.