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See Europe and even, ironically, the United States during the post WW2 era up to the 80s and 90s. You could say these coincided with the ‘good times’ for public spending and the growth of the middle classes. Remember when the roads were good, new ones (and bridges) were being built, public housing improved, and the NHS wasn’t on its knees? Yes, during this time the rich paid far higher tax rates than today.

What changed? Neo-liberalism took over from classic capitalism. The powers that be didn’t like ‘stability’ for the masses, as instability creates opportunities for wealth. You’ll see this in everyday life of 21st century Britain… economic crises leads to cuts in spending, privatisation and deregulation. Conflicts allow for rebuilding under market principles, and services like NHS are successively under-funded to create the image that they are ‘failing’ and need ‘modernising’. We all feel it, get frustrated and slowly they have justification to privatise and the rich get richer, while we all get poorer. And then, we blame ourselves.

Posted By: SenatusAcademicus, Jun 28, 13:28:37