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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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The latest polls seem to indicate that nearly half of the population think socialism is still the way forward.
Taxes are already at their highest point yet public services are considered poor.
Tax the rich has been the mantra of socialism for over 100 years but this has either never happened or never worked.
Why do so many people seem to think it can?
Let’s try to avoid calling the other side idiots and actually debate the subject |
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"The latest polls seem to indicate that nearly half of the population think socialism is still the way forward.
Taxes are already at their highest point yet public services are considered poor.
Tax the rich has been the mantra of socialism for over 100 years but this has either never happened or never worked.
Why do so many people seem to think it can?
Let’s try to avoid calling the other side idiots and actually debate the subject "
which of these polls are you speaking of .... please give sources for them |
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By (user no longer on site) 4 weeks ago
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When the Cold War ended a belief in State Socialism should have become as unacceptable and isolated as a belief in fascism or Nazism. Unfortunately a huge percentage of people in education and the media still held far left views and kept those beliefs alive until a new generation of naive activists came along, fuelled by justified anger over economic equalities following the banking crisis. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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Pretty much all the polls. Google your favourite polling organisation and you’ll see. If you add Labour, Green and Lid Dem intentions together you get 45-50%. That’s roughly half. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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"https://yougov.com/en-gb/trackers/voting-intention
Why people find it so hard to use a search engine is beyond me 🤷♂️
the link doesn't mention anything about socialism 🤷"
It doesn’t mention being argumentative either but here you are 🤷♂️ |
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"https://yougov.com/en-gb/trackers/voting-intention
Why people find it so hard to use a search engine is beyond me 🤷♂️
the link doesn't mention anything about socialism 🤷
It doesn’t mention being argumentative either but here you are 🤷♂️"
Nor sarcasm
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"https://yougov.com/en-gb/trackers/voting-intention
Why people find it so hard to use a search engine is beyond me 🤷♂️
the link doesn't mention anything about socialism 🤷
It doesn’t mention being argumentative either but here you are 🤷♂️"
enteraining as your antics are, perhaps returning to the point would be more appropriate. 🤷♂️ |
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"So nearly half think socialism is the answer and over half think it isn’t?
Yep, pretty much "
If, as you assert based in polls, does that not therefore imply half the country wished the other half did not live here ?
.
This polarisation seems quite pronounced in the US, but does that follow for the UK as well ? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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"So nearly half think socialism is the answer and over half think it isn’t?
Yep, pretty much
If, as you assert based in polls, does that not therefore imply half the country wished the other half did not live here ?
.
This polarisation seems quite pronounced in the US, but does that follow for the UK as well ?"
Some people describe labour as centre left and the conservatives as centre right. Whether you agree with that or not, I think it’s safe to say the greens are further left than Labour and reform are further right than the conservatives.
The more extreme parties seem to be getting more support than the centrists ones so I think it’s save to say your thinking of the US certainly applies here.
As for not living here, the left certainly don’t wish the right weren’t here. Who would pay for their polices if there was no capitalists generating wealth?
I saw a post from a few weeks ago where someone suggested splitting the country in half politically. The left were dead against this and pretty unilaterally said the idea was crazy. Yet the right leaning posts seemed quite happy with it. I found that quite interesting. |
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"So nearly half think socialism is the answer and over half think it isn’t?
Yep, pretty much
If, as you assert based in polls, does that not therefore imply half the country wished the other half did not live here ?
.
This polarisation seems quite pronounced in the US, but does that follow for the UK as well ?
Some people describe labour as centre left and the conservatives as centre right. Whether you agree with that or not, I think it’s safe to say the greens are further left than Labour and reform are further right than the conservatives.
The more extreme parties seem to be getting more support than the centrists ones so I think it’s save to say your thinking of the US certainly applies here.
As for not living here, the left certainly don’t wish the right weren’t here. Who would pay for their polices if there was no capitalists generating wealth?
I saw a post from a few weeks ago where someone suggested splitting the country in half politically. The left were dead against this and pretty unilaterally said the idea was crazy. Yet the right leaning posts seemed quite happy with it. I found that quite interesting. "
This does seem a sensible solution.
The people who want to work and are sick of paying for others could live in one country.
The people who don’t want to work and think others should pay for them could live in another country.
Everyone is happy. |
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‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other."
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
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"So nearly half think socialism is the answer and over half think it isn’t?
Yep, pretty much
Maybe they are on something?
Almost certainly "
Tempting though it is, dishonest editing is out of order.
The correct sequence should have been for someone else to suggest the correction and for you to comment following that.
I anticipated the topic progressing but not in that underhand manner! |
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By (user no longer on site) 4 weeks ago
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"So nearly half think socialism is the answer and over half think it isn’t?
Yep, pretty much
Maybe they are on something?
Almost certainly
Tempting though it is, dishonest editing is out of order.
The correct sequence should have been for someone else to suggest the correction and for you to comment following that.
I anticipated the topic progressing but not in that underhand manner!"
My apologies 🫡 |
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
"
Didn’t the OECD agree a minimum global Corp Tax rate? An example of what could be done.
As you say, tax havens seem to like being tax havens. In that case, the rest of the globe could ostracise those companies & individuals who use them or even the whole territories.
It requires a tipping point, where the rich of the globe carry on growing ever richer to the obvious detriment of most of the rest of us who aren’t rich & most people aren’t prepared to put up with it any longer.
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
Didn’t the OECD agree a minimum global Corp Tax rate? An example of what could be done.
As you say, tax havens seem to like being tax havens. In that case, the rest of the globe could ostracise those companies & individuals who use them or even the whole territories.
It requires a tipping point, where the rich of the globe carry on growing ever richer to the obvious detriment of most of the rest of us who aren’t rich & most people aren’t prepared to put up with it any longer.
"
People in the world generally are getting richer, and fewer people are living in poverty. That’s been the trend for a long time.
Are you getting poorer? Is it Jeff Bezos’s fault? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
Didn’t the OECD agree a minimum global Corp Tax rate? An example of what could be done.
As you say, tax havens seem to like being tax havens. In that case, the rest of the globe could ostracise those companies & individuals who use them or even the whole territories.
It requires a tipping point, where the rich of the globe carry on growing ever richer to the obvious detriment of most of the rest of us who aren’t rich & most people aren’t prepared to put up with it any longer.
"
Maybe the people could all gang together and steal all their money?
Where shall we draw the line? 10 million? A million. £100,000? £50?
But to be serious, once socialism has spent everyone else’s money, how are you gonna pay for stuff? Because there’s no point trying to save money if governments just steal it.
Forcibly dragging people to the bottom means everyone lives in poverty |
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
Didn’t the OECD agree a minimum global Corp Tax rate? An example of what could be done.
As you say, tax havens seem to like being tax havens. In that case, the rest of the globe could ostracise those companies & individuals who use them or even the whole territories.
It requires a tipping point, where the rich of the globe carry on growing ever richer to the obvious detriment of most of the rest of us who aren’t rich & most people aren’t prepared to put up with it any longer.
People in the world generally are getting richer, and fewer people are living in poverty. That’s been the trend for a long time.
Are you getting poorer? Is it Jeff Bezos’s fault?"
“Fewer than 60,000 people – 0.001% of the world’s population – control three times as much wealth as the entire bottom half of humanity, according to a report that argues global inequality has reached such extremes that urgent action has become essential.
The authoritative World Inequality Report 2026, based on data compiled by 200 researchers, also found that the top 10% of income-earners earn more than the other 90% combined, while the poorest half captures less than 10% of total global earnings”
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other."
You don't need international cooperation to tax the rich. Why do you think that? |
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By *otMe66Man 4 weeks ago
Terra Firma |
"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
You don't need international cooperation to tax the rich. Why do you think that?"
You do however need the permission of the centre who will kick that idea into touch where it belongs, thankfully. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
Didn’t the OECD agree a minimum global Corp Tax rate? An example of what could be done.
As you say, tax havens seem to like being tax havens. In that case, the rest of the globe could ostracise those companies & individuals who use them or even the whole territories.
It requires a tipping point, where the rich of the globe carry on growing ever richer to the obvious detriment of most of the rest of us who aren’t rich & most people aren’t prepared to put up with it any longer.
People in the world generally are getting richer, and fewer people are living in poverty. That’s been the trend for a long time.
Are you getting poorer? Is it Jeff Bezos’s fault?
“Fewer than 60,000 people – 0.001% of the world’s population – control three times as much wealth as the entire bottom half of humanity, according to a report that argues global inequality has reached such extremes that urgent action has become essential.
The authoritative World Inequality Report 2026, based on data compiled by 200 researchers, also found that the top 10% of income-earners earn more than the other 90% combined, while the poorest half captures less than 10% of total global earnings”"
But it’s their money. People are talking like they stole it.
You don’t have to buy from Amazon, Apple, Samsung, Tesla, Mitsubishi, Sony or any other company that ultimately earns money for these mega rich billionaires. You don’t have to use Facebook, X, YouTube or any other social media. Yes certain commodities such as petrol, electricity and water are hard to avoid but other than that, it’s easily avoided.
But I’m betting those who moan about how much money the owners of those cooperations have, buy from them.
The best way to help poor people is not to help them steal fish from other fisherman, but to help them catch fish which they can eat and sell the surplus. |
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it's proven that what the silent majority actually want is an end to taxpayers money being squandered on the outsourcing of public services to inefficient and wasteful private sector companies, there's nothing socialist about that. |
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By (user no longer on site) 4 weeks ago
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"it's proven that what the silent majority actually want is an end to taxpayers money being squandered on the outsourcing of public services to inefficient and wasteful private sector companies, there's nothing socialist about that."
How do we know what they think if they're silent ? 🤔 |
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"it's proven that what the silent majority actually want is an end to taxpayers money being squandered on the outsourcing of public services to inefficient and wasteful private sector companies, there's nothing socialist about that.
How do we know what they think if they're silent ? 🤔"
Herd instinct?
Doesn’t need to be the heard variety! |
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By (user no longer on site) OP 4 weeks ago
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"it's proven that what the silent majority actually want is an end to taxpayers money being squandered on the outsourcing of public services to inefficient and wasteful private sector companies, there's nothing socialist about that."
There’s nothing more inefficient and wasteful than the public sector.
When an organisation is run by someone who has a virtually unlimited supply of someone else’s money, cutting waste and being efficient are never a consideration. In fact they are counter intuitive. If you don’t spend all your budget then you clearly didn’t need all of it in the first place so it’s cut, making your job harder. Running out of money is proof that you need more which makes your job easier. It’s basic human nature to make things easier for yourself. |
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"‘Taxing the rich’ doesn’t work because they currently have too many options to hide their wealth.
Stop those options to hide & there is no reason why taxing the rich more than we currently do wouldn’t work.
It requires international consensus though & until that point, the rich will carry on playing everybody else against each other.
There will never be an intentional consensus. Some countries see the benefit of lower taxation
I think people asking others to pay for the stuff they want but are unwilling to pay for themselves shows a total lack of pride and self respect.
Didn’t the OECD agree a minimum global Corp Tax rate? An example of what could be done.
As you say, tax havens seem to like being tax havens. In that case, the rest of the globe could ostracise those companies & individuals who use them or even the whole territories.
It requires a tipping point, where the rich of the globe carry on growing ever richer to the obvious detriment of most of the rest of us who aren’t rich & most people aren’t prepared to put up with it any longer.
Maybe the people could all gang together and steal all their money?
Where shall we draw the line? 10 million? A million. £100,000? £50?
But to be serious, once socialism has spent everyone else’s money, how are you gonna pay for stuff? Because there’s no point trying to save money if governments just steal it.
Forcibly dragging people to the bottom means everyone lives in poverty "
Aren't you the only one mentioning, perhaps obsessively, socialism?
People want different things and the desire for high quality public services has been around for some time - with demands increasing, following austerity measures. I think wealthier people wanting better roads, for example without potholes, isn't going to reflect'socialism'  |
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