In 64 AD the Emperor Nero took advantage of a disaster to clear a vast swathe of ancient Rome so he could build himself a huge golden house. While Rome burned Nero lept to the conclusion that he had been presented with a God-given opportunity to get rid of poor people so he could live in even greater luxury. His policy was, essentially, one of class cleansing. Fast forward nearly 2,000 years to what in Nero's day was the new province of Britannia and a new disaster - this time economic. Modern Britain's so-called upper class, educated beyond their intelligence and inculcated with the classics of ancient Greece and Rome, looked at the economic meltdown of 2008 and came to almost exactly the came conclusion as Nero. For them the banking crisis in which they had taken such an active part was not a disaster but an opportunity. Having persuaded the electorate that it was all their fault and it was only fair, therefore, that they should pay for it, those who govern our lives also concluded that they needed a little more space between them and us. This was only fair, they told us, because there were too many underserving poor polluting areas where they prefered to live, making them feel uncomfortable. Benefit payments for rent were therefore lowered and a new "bedroom tax" introduced. This, they told a guilible electorate, would "save money" allow for tax cuts and make for a "fairer" Britain. Of course this was absolute rubbish. Britain is now only "fairer" if you also happen to be rich while the promised tax cuts were also predominantly in their favour. Now, it turns out, the promised "savings" have been nonexistant. Westminster Council, who rubbed their hands together with glee as they contemplated an exodus of the poor and undeserving to more "northern" climes, has seen the bill for homelessness rise by a staggering 63.5%. The problem has been one of logistics it would seem. Not only are there simply not enough one bedroomed properties to rehouse such a huge number of people, northern towns and cities also refused to take in London's refugees just to please the blue-rinse set. Westminster Council, unable to completely ignore their responsibilities despite their best efforts to do so, were forced to rehouse these people in hotels and B&B's at taxpayers expense. Have they reversed their policy then? Absolutely not, because this vicious policy was never about "fairness" or saving money. It was always about class cleansing. We can only hope that the Tory party will suffer the same fate as Nero - committing suicide in a political wilderness and then fading from history.
Sunday 9 June 2013
The Cost Of Class Cleansing.
In 64 AD the Emperor Nero took advantage of a disaster to clear a vast swathe of ancient Rome so he could build himself a huge golden house. While Rome burned Nero lept to the conclusion that he had been presented with a God-given opportunity to get rid of poor people so he could live in even greater luxury. His policy was, essentially, one of class cleansing. Fast forward nearly 2,000 years to what in Nero's day was the new province of Britannia and a new disaster - this time economic. Modern Britain's so-called upper class, educated beyond their intelligence and inculcated with the classics of ancient Greece and Rome, looked at the economic meltdown of 2008 and came to almost exactly the came conclusion as Nero. For them the banking crisis in which they had taken such an active part was not a disaster but an opportunity. Having persuaded the electorate that it was all their fault and it was only fair, therefore, that they should pay for it, those who govern our lives also concluded that they needed a little more space between them and us. This was only fair, they told us, because there were too many underserving poor polluting areas where they prefered to live, making them feel uncomfortable. Benefit payments for rent were therefore lowered and a new "bedroom tax" introduced. This, they told a guilible electorate, would "save money" allow for tax cuts and make for a "fairer" Britain. Of course this was absolute rubbish. Britain is now only "fairer" if you also happen to be rich while the promised tax cuts were also predominantly in their favour. Now, it turns out, the promised "savings" have been nonexistant. Westminster Council, who rubbed their hands together with glee as they contemplated an exodus of the poor and undeserving to more "northern" climes, has seen the bill for homelessness rise by a staggering 63.5%. The problem has been one of logistics it would seem. Not only are there simply not enough one bedroomed properties to rehouse such a huge number of people, northern towns and cities also refused to take in London's refugees just to please the blue-rinse set. Westminster Council, unable to completely ignore their responsibilities despite their best efforts to do so, were forced to rehouse these people in hotels and B&B's at taxpayers expense. Have they reversed their policy then? Absolutely not, because this vicious policy was never about "fairness" or saving money. It was always about class cleansing. We can only hope that the Tory party will suffer the same fate as Nero - committing suicide in a political wilderness and then fading from history.
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