We ENGLISH are we too respectful of the rich?

[GabbyLoggon]

And too critical of the poor? (I suspect we are, or I would not be asking the question, ok)

Is it because money gives power; and the rich have money?

Or do we clobber the poor because they have little money and little power?

I suppose it goes back to Victorian times.

Looking down on the rich is not just as bad as looking down on the poor.

The rich are not some powerless minority

Really if that was the only discrimination and prejudice you have ever experienced in your life, then you are very lucky.

What exactly is being a poor person in Britain? I've seen threads where people complain about "only" having a Kia Picanto! You have enough income to run a car and you're poor?

I've said this before, but bear in mind that if you have a roof over your heads, food, education, medical care, sanitation and education you are among the richest people on the face of the planet.

Being rich or poor does not come into it.

We are far far too respectful of people in power or positons of influence and not enough is done to expose and punish the corruption, nepotism and downright criminality among our ruling elite.

I am unmoved by wealth and privilige.

Am very cool about other people's money.

I don't actually know any fabulously wealthy people. Although I used to work for the 16th wealthiest man in the country (I think he might have gone higher up on the list since then), on a shockingly AVERAGE wage.

I am not impressed by people having money at all, now I think of it - anyone can be rich - often its an accident of birth.

But we are talking massive inequality in this country. Should we consider those on benefits or working on low income 'rich' because orhers in India have no sanitation? Should we tell these people yo just be grateful?

Families with massive drug problems, social issues. Friend who us a housing officer coming to a house to find a 5 year old in his school uniform having waited all day for someone to take him to school, other younger children living off a tub of ice cream cos no food in the house, babies weaned on quavers and wotsits unable to swallow solid food age three.

Sorry but mumsnet astounds me sometimes.

I'm still confused as to what is rich. We are in the top 1% of earnings but wouldn't consider us rich.

I don't think there is too much criticism of the poor whoever they might be. Most people criticise those that don't want to work and are happy to take. Personally I don't think people should be concerned about being better off in work they should just get a job regardless. If you can work you should, rather than claim benefits. If you need benefits as well as working then that's fine but to opt to sit on your backside doing nothing should not be an option.

What is the top 1% of earnings mumtotwoplustwo?

Do you think people are rich because they deserve it?

"What is the top 1% of earnings mumtotwoplustwo?"

I can't find recent data but about 5 years ago it was £100k. I saw an article talking about someone earning about £120k and he was in the top 1% so somewhere above those figures.

"Do you think people are rich because they deserve it?" I think most people would say that some people clearly don't deserve it and some do. But again it depends what you define as rich.

Yes, there is indeed a yawning chasm of difference between someone earning £120,000 a year and JK Rowling.

All people should be treated with respect. The vast majority of people want the same things, safety, food and family.

Poverty in the UK is totally unlike poverty in much of the world where there is no support. The welfare state is taken for granted here.

We are in the top .5% of earners. Our £200k tax would be better spent with small charities or being spent abroad where people need basics like food, not mobiles, tv's, holidays and cars.

It is very easy to legally evade tax and perhaps it is morally correct to do so if it is redistributed to the really poor.

I think that most people who are rich are rich because they have shown the right combination of ambition, intelligence,hard work and opportunism.

"Do you think people are rich because they deserve it?"

I know a lot of poor people who are there becasue they are lazy feking wasters who didnt take their opportunities.

I know a lot of rich people who are there due to hard work and talent.

Does that answer your question?

I know rich people who are there by accident of birth. And don't actually do anything. And hang about with other rich people pretending to be a 'model' or an 'actress,' or 'writer' or hilariously 'blogger.'

And I know poor people who have been in care all their lives, on drugs in early teens, homeless at 16.

Does that answer your question?

Silly, isn't it.

I think there are a lot of bitter people on this thread, the wealthiest people I know all had quite humble beginnings but have become wealthy through aspiration and hard work. IME too many people have a limited mindset and are unwilling to take risks for fear of failure.

hmm but nobody should have more opportunites than another, and they shouldnt be able to buy them either.

The english are too respectful of the rich, this has filtered down since medievel? fuedal? times where the poor were told to except their lot because that was their life plan, but dont worry you stay poor and miserable because this is what god ordained for you and you will be repaid in heaven.

its still with us today, just without the god, heaven or repayment incentives!

I'm English and the thought that I'd treat anyone differently because they are rich seems bizarre to me.I don't think differently of someone who has more than me anymore than I would about someone who has less than me.I know about half a dozen very very wealthy people and all but one are self made millionaires,and most of them have put a lot into charitable foundations of various sorts.Then again,no one judges me on what I do with my money,so why should the rich be any different? It's yours,you do what you like with it as far as I'm concerned.

ccpccp - the stat you are referring to is the top 1% of income tax payers pay 24% of the total income tax take.

nameymcnamechange - why should you have paid anything but the average wage for your skill set just because you worked for someone wealthy?

I agree, Nordic. At times, I find English culture very stuck in the past. It's also one of the most spiritually impoverished places I've been among 48 countries I've had the privilege to visit and 11 I've lived in.

Just look at the level of meanness displayed on this thread.

What a lot of bitterness!
Yes, there are those who are born into wealth, just as there are those who are born into poor families. To despise either just based on this is appalling.

Having grown up in a country with a mahoosive difference between rich and poor, and recently visiting a country where there was mass poverty, all I could think was "I am so f*cking fortunate it's unbelievable".

While yes - there are people in the UK who have an incredibly hard time of it, and again, I'm very glad I'm not in their shoes, living in the UK people are very fortunate.

In India (where I have just been), it was sickening seeing the level of poverty (tons of people living on the side of the road, starving children). In the UK, there's a National Health Service if you fall ill, there's unemployment benefit if you lose your job, there's housing benefit and so on and so on. It may not be perfect, but it's a hell of a lot more than other countries have. In south Africa (and India), if you lose your job, there's nothing. Nothing. No state support at all. I don't think people here really get that

'I don't think people here really get that'

Plenty of us do, but don't see that a reason why the poor should be demonised here just because things are worse in other places.

We don't live there, we live here.

Too often, poverty in developing nations is used as an excuse to disenfranchise the poor here even further.

Well, it's not poor people in the UK's fault things are so difficult in developing nations.