to think that in the UK we love to hate rich people?

[InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest]

Looking at a few threads here it seems that there is a definite trend that sees a lot of us in the UK loving to hate rich people. Why is that? Why do we resent them? Sure, I'd love to have lots of money and not need to worry but I don't resent those who do have it.

And yet there is so much vitriol on MN directed at people with money. Odd when without their tax money we'd be in a lot of trouble... Enlighten me please. Because I'm almost embarrassed IRL to admit I'd actually love to be rich!

I hate pretentious ‘look at me, aren’t I rich?’ people. MN is full of them
Really? We can't see MNers so what do they write that comes out as ' look at me I'm rich?'

I don't agree with tax dodging, giving contracts to your mates, private education and various other things the super rich are great at
This is very much stereotyping as bad as all on benefits are lazy, weed smoking, cheats, isn't it?

I don't agree with tax dodging, giving contracts to your mates, private education and various other things the super rich are great at
This is very much stereotyping as bad as all on benefits are lazy, weed smoking, cheats, isn't it?

Excellent point. It seems many on both sides have a very generalised view of the other side, one that, it seems, they despise.

Really? We can't see MNers so what do they write that comes out as ' look at me I'm rich?'
Please, the place is awash with threads detailing £100k+ salaries and “dilemmas” about “should we overstretch ourselves with a £3k mortgage when we only take home £8k” or “is my £500k pension pot enough?”, “how would you do money if you were us – I pay the private school fees but I’m PT on £90k, DH does the mortgage and wants to cut our £500pw food bill”. It’s absolutely rife. Might also be fantasy, mind, but it exists.

For most of us our socioeconomic status is a result of the family we were born into and the opportunities that that gives us. Many of us fall into a category of average - neither rich nor poor. Realistically we all want our children to not drop below the standard of living we ourselves have. So I can see why the rich protect themselves from this happening with private schools and all the other things they do to hold on to their money and status.
I think also sometimes there are different ‘norms’ within a particular socioeconomic group and that can make us feel out of our comfort zone. Many people hate the rich and for some it’s rooted in jealousy and many hate the poor and this can be rooted in a fear of becoming poor themselves or in some cases it makes people to feel good about themselves to look down on others.

@burritofan

Really? We can't see MNers so what do they write that comes out as ' look at me I'm rich?' Please, the place is awash with threads detailing £100k+ salaries and “dilemmas” about “should we overstretch ourselves with a £3k mortgage when we only take home £8k” or “is my £500k pension pot enough?”, “how would you do money if you were us – I pay the private school fees but I’m PT on £90k, DH does the mortgage and wants to cut our £500pw food bill”. It’s absolutely rife. Might also be fantasy, mind, but it exists.

There are habitual fantasists on Mumsnet. Start practising.

Well the rich generally hate the poor and resent having to hand over their wealth to help people who are less fortunate than themselves. Otherwise they wouldn't be so rich.

@Waxonwaxoff0

I don't hate rich people, I hate rich people who exploit poor people.

Couldn't have said it better!

@Neonplant

I don't know how much social and political understanding you can have if you don't hate rich people. Or don't understand why people would. I can't imagine being this naive. Have you seen the world and what a tiny proportion of people having loads of money does to it?!

this

Seems like MN has very little time for hatred of tax-dodging billionaires, but just MENTION Waitrose...

@upinaballoon

And the Englishman looked at the other Englishman and he said, "He's got a bigger house than mine and a bigger car and has more money. That isn't fair, so I'll grouse and I'll do everything in my power to stop him from having what he's got." And the American looked at the other American and he said, "That guy's got a bigger house than mine and a bigger car and has more money. So I've gotta see what work he does and get some of that myself and strive to get what he has,"

I don't know if that's true but it's a tale I was told a long time ago.

Of course we haven't shaken off class in this society. I was taught that class is only a matter of money. I don't know if I agree.

I once saw a bookmark bearing these words:- The pain of the poor is that no-one needs their friendship.

I think that story is true, and the ironic thing is that a born-poor Englishman has more chance of raising himself up than a born-poor American does. Apparently social mobility is higher in more socialist Europe (and even the UK is more socialist than America.) (If I remember correctly the reason is more socialism means more equality of opportunity.)

By "story is true" I mean that I think it does illustrate the difference in attitudes. I am an immigrant in the UK and also regard hating the rich as a British disease. I suspect it's been fueled by several generations of left-wing propaganda, not helped by the economic illiteracy of the average person. (Of which there have been several examples in this thread, see comments about it be exploitation to employ people and evil to rent houses to them.)

@RandomLondoner

By "story is true" I mean that I think it does illustrate the difference in attitudes. I am an immigrant in the UK and also regard hating the rich as a British disease. I suspect it's been fueled by several generations of left-wing propaganda, not helped by the economic illiteracy of the average person. (Of which there have been several examples in this thread, see comments about it be exploitation to employ people and evil to rent houses to them.)

“several generations of left wing propaganda” when our press is in Murdoch’s pocket and the masses keep voting Tory? Yeah, right.

More detail please on how it’s “economically illiterate” to recognise that capitalism is a system literally designed to exploit the majority in order to generate profit for a minority. Go on.

@InPraiseOfBacchus

Seems like MN has very little time for hatred of tax-dodging billionaires, but just MENTION Waitrose...

I dislike tax dodging billionaires, just like I dislike anyone who tax dodges. I like Waitrose!

I think that story is true, and the ironic thing is that a born-poor Englishman has more chance of raising himself up than a born-poor American does. Apparently social mobility is higher in more socialist Europe (and even the UK is more socialist than America.) (If I remember correctly the reason is more socialism means more equality of opportunity.)

The social mobility scores for the UK and the US are pretty close (74 vs 70).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index

What's not reflected in that ranking is the fact that per capita GDP adjusted for purchasing power is substantially higher in the US than the UK ($60k vs $45k).

www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-per-capita/

There is a distinction between "rich" and "wealthy", in my mind in any event.

When people ask what counts as rich, anyone earning say £100kpa is usually included at the base level (sometimes lower) but then when you have questions like this about what is the problem with the rich the answers like off shore tax dodging and wealth hoarding are things that don't apply to the vast majority of those "rich" people, they apply to the wealthy. Those outside of there PaYE system who have casts domes of wealth and investments.

High earners on PAYE are (rightly) paying large amounts of tax and much of their money is being put back into the economy via their general (albeit more luxurious) spending.

It's the wealthy that are hoarding and avoiding contributing to society and the economy.

Often people hate the wrong people because of failure to make this distinction.

The distinction doesn't work perfectly as it's not black and white, but it's a theme I've seen.

@idiotfacelicker

There is a distinction between "rich" and "wealthy", in my mind in any event.

When people ask what counts as rich, anyone earning say £100kpa is usually included at the base level (sometimes lower) but then when you have questions like this about what is the problem with the rich the answers like off shore tax dodging and wealth hoarding are things that don't apply to the vast majority of those "rich" people, they apply to the wealthy. Those outside of there PaYE system who have casts domes of wealth and investments.

High earners on PAYE are (rightly) paying large amounts of tax and much of their money is being put back into the economy via their general (albeit more luxurious) spending.

It's the wealthy that are hoarding and avoiding contributing to society and the economy.

Often people hate the wrong people because of failure to make this distinction.

The distinction doesn't work perfectly as it's not black and white, but it's a theme I've seen.

Completely agree with this. I am in that earning bracket and do not hoard any earth and pay my taxes in full via PAYE. Yet I feel hated by vast swathes of MN and don’t know what I am doing to deserve it.

Yet I feel hated by vast swathes of MN and don’t know what I am doing to deserve it.

It could be worse. You could be an American.

@idiotfacelicker

There is a distinction between "rich" and "wealthy", in my mind in any event.

When people ask what counts as rich, anyone earning say £100kpa is usually included at the base level (sometimes lower) but then when you have questions like this about what is the problem with the rich the answers like off shore tax dodging and wealth hoarding are things that don't apply to the vast majority of those "rich" people, they apply to the wealthy. Those outside of there PaYE system who have casts domes of wealth and investments.

High earners on PAYE are (rightly) paying large amounts of tax and much of their money is being put back into the economy via their general (albeit more luxurious) spending.

It's the wealthy that are hoarding and avoiding contributing to society and the economy.

Often people hate the wrong people because of failure to make this distinction.

The distinction doesn't work perfectly as it's not black and white, but it's a theme I've seen.

Brilliant post From someone who doesn’t earn 6 figures

They do ok these poor unpopular bullied rich people though. I mean look at any point of power in the UK and people from wealthy backgrounds are massively over represented. Plus we've got an actual monarchy.

I don't think the proles have taken control just yet.