Plus ça Change...

Another month rolls over on the calendar [Rabbits, White Rabbits] as the first of February slots into place, putting Christmas, New Year and the [psychologically] longest month of the year behind us once again. Can't say I'm particularly sorry to see January go: it's always financially punishing, having less income and much higher fuel bills than in the warmer months; but it's survivable with a bit of ducking and diving, robbing Peter to pay Paul, and other such clichéd aphorisms. Suffice it to say, that with luck and a following wind [there I go again], we can look forward to an upturn in fortunes as spring gets closer and the weather hopefully warms. A quick glance at the bookshelf above me yet again makes me think on: The Origin of Capitalism by Ellen Meiksins Wood stands out, and reminds me of a piece in today's Observer newspaper, which essentially argues that governments simply do not understand the hospitality industry, preferring to outsource what should otherwise be direct labour public services such as school meals etc., to multinational Hydra-like logistics companies [cf. the Covid outsourcing scam], whilst taxing small, private businesses, pubs and restaurants out of existence in the process.

Also, it's plain weird how we are considered part of that pensioner demographic much reviled as 'too better off by half at the expense of the taxpayer', in that we own our own house outright - which is far less than a million quid in value: probably a quarter, if that, as the market stands. No-one at least can bracket us with the 'millionaire pensioner' tag so beloved of the tabloid press. Yes, we have three pensions between us, but combined they amount to less than my final salary alone on retirement. Final salary pension? Ha! you're kidding me: anyhow, I invested my meagre pension pot in the family as cash rather than draw a pittance in perpetuity. Comfortable yes, for most of the time: but in any real sense wealthy? Do me a favour. We're better off than many and I'm grateful for the fact, but in truth the two of us have been in employment for the vast majority of our life together, fifty-three years to be exact, which represents a fair contribution to society along the way, in my book. Why we should be expected to wear sackcloth and ashes now we're retired is beyond me, and represents the patrician attitude of a society which affords merit to some and not to most others. The class system still in some weird and perverse way persists and refuses to go away, despite the best efforts of some rather better, fairer-minded people over the years.

Why are we so afraid of the Scandinavian model of a fair society: one which is demonstrably better in most respects with regard to the social contract, resulting in less inequality and greater stability and happiness for people generally? The argument that higher taxes, a national minimum wage and universal benefits reduce creativity and decrease productivity is simply, demonstrably false: look at Denmark or Sweden for good examples to the contrary. What have we here in the UK to offer as an alternative strategy? Public-Private Initiatives, performance management, low wages, a broken health and social welfare system, public infrastructure falling apart at the seams because of low to zero investment, a social housing program that started to atrophy as soon as 'right to buy' was introduced by the Thatcher government; an economy still on its knees due to decades of selling off Britains assets to the highest foreign bidders, whilst concentrating on a 'service economy' as a somehow viable alternative to a varied and healthy mixed economy: I could keep this list going until the next ice-age, if had the energy or the time.

Suffice it to say, we should be looking at the genuine root-causes of our current very dire economic situation, and not picking on demographic groupings such as ours, the sick and the less-well-off as the problem. Easy, flashy fixes are for idiots and conmen; they don't just work, as the past half a century has shown us: capitalism is still broke and we need to find the path of common sense to fix our ills, and stop what are effectively organised crime gangs in suits sucking the remaining marrow from the bones of this profoundly moribund body of a society. Look to the City for wealth and prosperity; look elsewhere for the reality of it all...