Socialists are often annoyed at the disparaging, dismissive fashion of speaking adopted by the capitalist class when dealing with members of the working class, but something that annoys us even more than that is members of the working class sneering at other members of the working class less fortunate than themselves. Perhaps the worst example of this we have come across recently is the following.
" Wealthy Celebes queued up this week to condemn the new 50% tax rate for high earners, warning that it could lead to an exodus of talent. Monday's Daily Mail quoted Sir Michael Caine saying that "if it goes to 51%, I will be back in America... We've got 3.5 million layabouts on benefits, and I'm 76, getting up at 6am to go to work to keep them." (Guardian, 2 May)
Excuse us Sir Michael (formerly known as Mr Michaelwaite) if we wish you bon voyage - preferably in a very leaky ocean liner. RD
The Glasgow & Edinburgh Branches Blog. Towards a better understanding of the world, in order to change it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
-
Paternalism is a common attitude among well-meaning social reformers. Stemming from the root pater, or father, paternalism implies a patria...
1 comment:
I wonder when returning to the good old U.S.A. Sir Micheal will without doubt employ an illegal South American to keep his house in order at the minimum wage or lesser.Shame on these overpaid shallow people whom deem employment as acting.If you where to ask them about manual labour they would probably think of a spanish bullfighter.
Post a Comment