Well if one were redesigning a society from scratch

would one create a hereditary aristocratic class with vast amounts of land and money?

I rather doubt it

But seeing we are where we are, the question is what does one do? Have a revolution in which aristos are stripped of inherited land and wealth? Principled but not pragmatic. Or put pressure on them to use their privileges for the common good? Pragmatic but not principled

I personally would hire very clever tax lawyers to redesign the entire system so that there is minimal tax on earned income and very heavy tax on death, so that individuals benefit fully from their own endeavours but very little from the endeavours of others

Posted By: Old Git on November 24th 2011 at 12:33:49

Message Thread

No No No (General Chat) - phrankin, Nov 24, 11:38:41
- You don't love me and I know now..? (n/m) (General Chat) - Dandy Highburyman, Nov 24, 14:04:35
- Just why is she getting a state funeral? I don't understand. (n/m) (General Chat) - jafski, Nov 24, 12:39:56
  - maybe you dont remember what Britain was like in 1979...... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:04:15
    - How old were you in 1979 Chelts? (n/m) (General Chat) - jafski, Nov 24, 13:31:26
      - 11... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:41:20
        
        Oh. Very politically interested 11 year old were you? Watching the news and that. (n/m) (General Chat) - jafski, Nov 24, 13:42:31
    - yep, but it was still better than after the evil cow fucked off (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Nov 24, 13:27:12
      - not really... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:27:45
        
        Nothing Thatcher did helped, (General Chat) - shortfatb, Nov 24, 13:53:12
        
        Trust me, you won't be in any doubt when she does pop her clogs. (n/m) (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Nov 24, 14:02:16
        
        True.Queueing to Tramp the Dirt Down. (n/m) (General Chat) - shortfatb, Nov 24, 14:22:07
    - That's how you choose to view her premiership. I'm not getting into politics, all I'm sayi (General Chat) - jafski, Nov 24, 13:16:42
      - Absolutely - the very idea of it beggars belief (n/m) (General Chat) - duke of york, Nov 24, 13:25:35
      - Churchill lost the 1945 election (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 13:17:40
        
        but not the respect of the nation - they just didn't think he was the right man for rebuil (General Chat) - Tricky Hawes, Nov 24, 13:19:57
        
        but be fair.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:24:11
        
        Yes, the deregulation of the Financial Sector appears to have been a great strategy (n/m) (General Chat) - Vivid Data Shark, Nov 24, 13:27:48
        
        Subtle... (General Chat) - Dandy Highburyman, Nov 24, 14:43:29
        
        Indeed but not because he was unpopular as a person. (n/m) (General Chat) - jafski, Nov 24, 13:18:57
        
        I know - just mucking abaaat (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 13:22:32
        
        but the thatch (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:22:17
        
        That's all lovely (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 13:23:22
        
        maybe not... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:27:13
        
        Which is really the nub of this discussion (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 13:30:42
    - Country was in chaos (General Chat) - duke of york, Nov 24, 13:13:37
      - not saying she didnt make mistakes.... (General Chat) - Cheltenham_Canary, Nov 24, 13:19:20
        
        Buying from the council (General Chat) - duke of york, Nov 24, 13:24:18
- Do we get a holiday when the old facist croaks ? (n/m) (General Chat) - colincanary, Nov 24, 11:45:27
  - No, we don't. (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Nov 24, 11:48:01
    - Will we get one whe Cliff Richard dies ? (n/m) (General Chat) - colincanary, Nov 24, 11:52:42
      - No (General Chat) - duke of york, Nov 24, 13:14:17
      - Oh we're bound to aren't we? (n/m) (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Nov 24, 11:53:46
        
        We're all going to a sta-ate funeral (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 11:55:11
        
        Yes. (n/m) (General Chat) - colincanary, Nov 24, 11:54:12
        
        ... (General Chat) - phrankin, Nov 24, 12:01:43
    - Oh hang on - the Queen Mum would have been a state funeral wouldn't it? Doh. (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Nov 24, 11:50:10
      - her funeral was ceremonial not state (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Nov 24, 12:17:35
        
        WWII (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 12:19:20
        
        and rightly so (n/m) (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Nov 24, 12:20:21
      - There is no comparison between Fatch and the Queen Mum (General Chat) - Old Git, Nov 24, 12:00:39
        
        Influenza (General Chat) - yellowman, Nov 24, 12:12:32
        
        "a sponging parasite, born into privilege, married into more privilege" (General Chat) - Tricky Hawes, Nov 24, 12:06:18
        
        What's with the direct question? (General Chat) - Old Git, Nov 24, 12:14:31
        
        fair enough. Guess I was asking whether your argument was really with (General Chat) - Tricky Hawes, Nov 24, 12:26:30
        
        Well if one were redesigning a society from scratch (General Chat) - Old Git, Nov 24, 12:33:49
        
        agreed, although would be seen as being very cruel by many (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Nov 24, 12:53:49
        
        i agree witht he last paragraph, but would also tax the land (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Nov 24, 12:42:02
        
        wouldnt work with farmers would it (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Nov 24, 12:52:13
        
        of course it would (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Nov 24, 13:00:17
        
        the annual charge you suggest would be the best way. (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Nov 24, 13:08:54
        
        if farm land is taken out of production it could be classed as 'unproductive land' and the (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Nov 24, 13:16:20
        
        ah so you mean tax land not in production (General Chat) - Tony Martin, Nov 24, 13:26:36
        
        it's not beyond the wit of a well-versed taxman to make it work (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Nov 24, 13:39:55
        
        Agreed (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 12:18:20
        
        Royalty, part of are heritage.... (General Chat) - phrankin, Nov 24, 12:16:05
        
        *our (n/m) (General Chat) - phrankin, Nov 24, 12:19:30
        
        That someone's going to be the fucking wingnut Charlie sooner or later. (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Nov 24, 12:18:54
        
        fruitcake (General Chat) - phrankin, Nov 24, 12:21:02
        
        ROLF (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 12:17:47
        
        Happened in Spain ... (General Chat) - Old Git, Nov 24, 12:18:53
        
        it did, to President Carlos Arias-Navarro (General Chat) - phrankin, Nov 24, 12:23:10
        
        There are publicans in the East End of That London shifting uncomfortably right now. (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Nov 24, 12:03:31
      - No (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 11:51:29
        
        ... (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 11:52:27
    - Was it Mountbatten in 79ish? (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 11:49:49
      - Wikipedia says no (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Nov 24, 11:52:30
      - Oh! It appears it was Churchill (n/m) (General Chat) - norway, Nov 24, 11:50:59
  - not sure phrankin will quite share your view on that one (n/m) (General Chat) - Tricky Hawes, Nov 24, 11:46:16
    - he would if they dressed it up as a national day of mourning (n/m) (General Chat) - Ralf Scrampton, Nov 24, 11:47:57

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