To think people will be revolting

[LaurieFairyCake]

next year. The gap between rich and poor surely can't get much wider before we all go 'fuck it' ??

Whaddayathink?

I do hope so.

As someone unaffected and selfish I can't really be bothered tbh

That may be the pregnancy exhaustion speaking though

Is this thread a year old?

I think the word 'poor' has lost all meaning to be honest...especially when quite a few of those who claim to be 'poor' are still buying their kids 5 or 6 Christmas prezzies and stocking up on party foods.

If you're talking about 'real' poor people who can't afford to eat properly while heating their homes...then YANBU.

Agree worra

It's the 'gap' that makes me think of it, not relative poverty.

It just couldn't be wider, it never has been wider. It's ridiculous.

It has been so much wider. 100ish years ago, the poor then would look at the poor now, with free education & healthcare, and think how lucky they are.

agree with worra.it depends on whether its relative or absolute.

Yes of course it's been far, far wider in the past.

How long are you going back OP?

Certainly not to Victorian times

I don't think we're going barefoot to the workhouse just yet

Mincemeat flavour crisps are revolting

People are already revolting. Yuck. People.

i think there are a lot more people around who are earning a very very good salary but i do not think people are as poor, struggling yes and far too many are

@ Trills

absolute poverty or relative poverty? I know a few people in relative poverty, but none in absolute poverty. The only people I've ever come across in absolute poverty are homeless people.

also agree that people are revolting regardless!

I think the fact that some people living in one of the richest countries in the world ARE living in absolute poverty is an absolute scandel and those figures are rising. I also think that relative poverty is still poverty and there are approx. 12.5million living in relative poverty and those figures are set to rise.

We should be revolting but we've had various forms of protest this year and all have been vilified on the whole. The summer riots, the anti-capitalist campers, the strikers. I'm afraid that many Brits feel a bit like Kayano and are just too knackered trying to maintain their comfy existance to support those who are perhaps less comfortable. (I include myself here I'm afraid )

it's the gap that causes social unrest. More equal (not 'equal') societies tend to be more stable and score high on happiness indexes.
Historically it hasn't tended to be those in absolute poverty who revolt as they're too busy with day to day survival.

What makes me really quite sad is that many of the problems constantly "discussed" in the media, such as youth crime, disaffection, violence, abuse are all associated with child poverty (this is mainly relative but still relevant). Much as he is now hated Gordon Brown had a real wish to reduce child poverty and heal the wounds of previous cuts in public spending caused by the last recession. I will remember him for that. I have no trust that anyone in the current government gives a flying f**k about it and we and our children will live to see the consequences and it won't be pretty .

It will get worse, probably next year when those on low wages get their tax credits cut

Are you having a larf? It is after 13 years of Gordon Brown et al that we have this level of inequlity; it didn't suddenly pop up under the ConDem government.

That's not entirely true purits The ConDems have been slashing benefits and tax credits left, right and centre since they got in. Inequality has already worsened and it's set to get a lot worse in the near future.

No purits I'm not having a larf. Actually much of this inequality has been around for centuries but 18 years of the Tories throughout the 80s and 90s when most of our industries were sold off by the Government really helped to speed that along. I'm not saying Gordon in some kind of saint ooh nooo, but he had a social conscience I can't think of anyone in our current government who shows signs of this.

I imagine that we will all just try to get on with life without losing our jobs, losing our homes and losing our marbles. There will be protests and loss of liberties and suffering but ther magority of us will just about manage to keep hold of the kind of life we are used to. The world will slowly change around us and our children will grow used to whatever comes their way.

I hope it means that people will pull together and look after each other. We shouldn't have to but I guess I hope we do if it comes to it.