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Donald Trump and Angela Merkel will join 2,500 world leaders, business executives and charity bosses at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland which kicks off on 23 January. High on the agenda once again will be the topic of inequality, and how to reduce the widening gap between the rich and the rest around the world.
The WEF recently warned that the global economy is at risk of another crisis, and that automation and digitalisation are likely to suppress employment and wages for most while boosting wealth at the very top.
But what ideas should the great and good gathered in the Swiss Alps be putting into action? We'd like to know what single step you think governments should prioritise in order to best address the problem of rising inequality. Below we've outlined seven proposals that are most often championed as necessary to tackle the issue – but which of them is most important to you?
- Provide free and high quality education
- Raise the minimum wage
- Raise taxes on the rich
- Fight corruption
- Provide more social protection for the poor
- Stop the influence of the rich on politicians
- Provide jobs for the unemployed
Do you think these ideas are enough, or are there any better ideas to close this wealth gap ? You too can participate and vote for the idea that, you think, works best.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday January 21 2018, @10:55PM (15 children)
It has nothing to do with "fuck you". It has to do with "You will not take what is mine from me by force. If you want it, convince me.".
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Pav on Monday January 22 2018, @04:17AM (12 children)
"You will not take what's mine by force"? Interesting idea. Brazil tried that - no social security, extermination squads for urban poor scum who kept breeding, only taxing for what's "important" for wealthy citizens, and pushing that tax bill downwards etc... etc... It turns out that if enough people are poor you have to spend a lot more resources on keeping what you have. High walled compounds, armed guards etc... are inconvenient and expensive, as is kidnap insurance. Being under constant seige by the poor, and langushing in a stagnant economy with not much wealth to capture at other levels of society, well, life at the top turns out to be less fun even for the super rich. Lula had his problems, but Brazil became much more dynamic, more wealth was created (Brazil became the "B" in BRIC), and became a little less unsafe (which isn't saying TOO much), though apparently crime has shot back up to Syria levels in the last couple of years - I wonder why?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 22 2018, @05:06AM (11 children)
I'd prefer an honest thief over a communist any day of the week, thanks. At least the proper thief doesn't try to tell me what he's doing is moral. Plus I can shoot thief.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 22 2018, @10:18PM (4 children)
I think I found the problem. The slightly older folks on here are still victims of the RED SCOURGE! Communists? You are a scared little fool.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday January 23 2018, @05:16PM (3 children)
Anyone who doesn't see communism as an enemy of humanity is either a fool or an enemy of humanity themselves. It has never brought anything except abject poverty and self destruction to any nation that it has touched.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 23 2018, @05:55PM (2 children)
Try being less of an idiot mmmkay? No one is advocating a switch to communism, but you're being naive if you think it failed due to it's own failings. The US and co. had an entire covert war against it, not to mention that so far most revolutions have ended up with a dictator in charge. Quite a far cry from what communism is supposed to actually be.
So far the massive destruction has come from the US as we invaded communist countries because they're eeeeevillll. For a libertarian I don't know how you can integrate that fact into your brain. The capitalists literally destroyed other countries for trying out a different system of government. Earth to libertard come in!
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday January 23 2018, @06:11PM (1 child)
Yes, and doesn't the fact that it has failed to emerge every single time it has been tried on any scale clue you in that there might be a fatal flaw in the ideology itself? Here, I'll spell it out for you: Any ideology that requires fundamentally altering human nature to work is never going to work.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Tuesday January 23 2018, @08:47PM
Amen, brother Buzzard. I've been saying that for ages. Communism does not and cannot work, and it does not and cannot work for the same reason laissez-faire capitalism does not and cannot work. You are so close, so, so, SO close, to having the lightbulb moment...
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Pav on Tuesday January 23 2018, @12:19AM (5 children)
It seems you've regressed FAR past even the level of Somalia - even when there is no nation state it will be your tribe demanding that you contribute (if you are able). Even a chimp band will demand you take time out from "earning" (ie. foraging) to keep watch, defend the territory, or pick parasites off your neighbours. If you refuse too much you will be attacked and driven off... how unfair for animals who advanced enough to share your total disregard for others!!! Thieves!!! These kinds of requirements (and responses to shirkers) have been observed in animals as primitive as sticklebacks (small fish). Perhaps you've had an aneurism in your brain stem somewhere.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday January 23 2018, @05:21PM (4 children)
You really cannot understand the concept of "I will give the shirt off my back if someone needs it but if they try to take it I will shoot them in the face", can you? The people you try to paint as heartless, aren't; they're just sick of finding your hand in their pocket every time they turn around.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 23 2018, @05:58PM (2 children)
Universal healthcare would put money back into your pocket with lower costs and better preventative care, along with improving the general economic well being of the country. Y'know, cause sick people have a hard time being productive. But you can't get over the simple intro of "MOAR TAXES!!@!@! mrghbhblbbbllagghaaaf THEFT brakakaka."
Appeals to reason? Don't work.
Appeals to humanity? Make them laugh, no go.
Appeals to greed? Somehow trumped by even stupider greed.
You are a fool.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday January 23 2018, @06:14PM (1 child)
Like it has everywhere else? There's not a single example of socialized medicine anywhere in the world that I'd take over the US system prior to Obama fucking with it. Thanks all the same but I prefer the days when anyone with a decent job could afford healthcare and receive it in a timely manner.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 23 2018, @06:30PM
Ah yes, redefining reality to suit your preconceptions. How astute of you! I wish I'd thought of that first.
It is shocking the number of assumptions you make, and your vast ignorance about other systems. Be ignorant, at least your sharing it publicly so other people can get a dose of reality about who they're "working" with.
(Score: 2) by Pav on Wednesday January 24 2018, @02:07AM
Social animals even down to loosely social insects understand tit-for-tat punishment for shirking social responsibilities (Robert Sapolsky is interesting on this). The wider society defines a shirker (so good luck with your appeals to volunteerism). Given your politics though you've got an excellent deal in the US because your society defines the unemployed and poor as shirkers... kind of like England when it was also in its mass incarceration phase and ejecting undesirables to the USA, then later Australia.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Monday January 22 2018, @06:48PM (1 child)
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday January 22 2018, @08:17PM
Was that an intentional strawman or do you just not listen?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.