World recession and rising unemployment

[dave50]

If this continues for years to come, is there a danger that there could be upheavels in societies around the world, such a rise in communism where in theory everyone has a share in a country's wealth? Of course this wouldnt work unless the whole world adopted it.

[jake-the-peg]

Well Hitler came to power in Germany during such conditions and enough of our home grown communists came out of the great depression too.

Extremists always thrive during tough times.

I think you're more likely to see a rise in far right than far left though

[mibn2cweus]

The problems didn't start with people freely sharing their bounty. The real problems began when people decided to start sharing (stealing) what others, the producers, had with the looters and the producers decided no longer to be sacrificial animals to a losing proposition.

Communism does neither encourage nor reward but in fact punishes production. Reality respects neither the notion of giving the unearned to the undeserving nor of the taking from the deserving. The purpose of government is not to redistribute wealth but to defend the rights of producers to produce it and reap the rewards of their efforts thereby promoting its production by those willing to acknowledge and abide by the inviolate and irrefutable laws of reality.

[Andyvon]

Yes Mibn -

but you then get the situation in the USA where 1% of the population now possess 25% of the wealth. They don't create jobs - they just hoard what they have and buy Mercedes and swimming pools (the 'American Dream') while 50 million people don't even have healthcare. The protests in New York are a result of that inequality of wealth. The same inequality of wealth underlie the Arab Spring and the problems in Europe.

We are now seeing the same in the UK with a smaller and smaller number of people possessing more and more of the wealth. Those people do not generate jobs or redistribute wealth. I was in business and an employer for many years and tax cuts and increased personal wealth would not have encouraged me to employ more people (there's no need to diverge here into what would).

History shows that extremism rises in popularity as the middle classes and the ordinary people feel more threatened. The public don't care about political theory or rhetoric, they only care about safeguarding their future and those of their children. If a party or ideology can guarantee those futures when others can't or don't, or they won't address fundamental social issues, then history shows that any party offering an answer will be given a chance.

[tamborine]

Most of the polish & EEuros around here are working, but they do labouring & cleaning jobs. Lots are tooooo fussy & unrealistic with their choices.

[mibn2cweus]

I'm reluctant to say it as well Andyvon . . . but I will. When it comes to the law of supply and demand, perhaps the single worst case of over-abundance of all is people who haven't learned to take care of themselves bringing more people into the world.

Brace yourself . . .