Right-wing commentators claim inequality in Britain is falling. It isn’t.
The Office for National Statistics says the Gini coefficient has improved — but the truth is that it ignores capital gains, wealth accumulation, debt, and inflation that hits the poor hardest.
Given that wealth inequality is also at worst static, if not actually falling, something must be done to deny reality, right? Because how can you justify nicking everything if there’s no justification for doing so?
I’m one of those who doesn’t care about inequality. I don’t want a Ferrari nor a Rolex, nor any of those show-off things that extreme wealth brings. I’d just like the country to be richer, and me with it, so that I’m better insulated against the fuckups that politiians do all the time.
Like the “climate crisis”, belief in equality is a religion.
“The Office for National Statistics says the Gini coefficient has improved”
I hope it said nothing of the sort. It is entitled to claim that its estimates show the coefficient to have risen or fallen but it’s not its business to pass political judgements such as those implied by “improved”.
You may rest reassured that the statisticians limited themselves to mathematics and steered clear of theology. ONS said that the gini coefficient for disposable income – the one that matters – had decreased although that for “original income” (before tax and benefits) had increased by an amountthat was not statistically significant. What this means is that thwe government redistributed more than all the increase in earnings and investment income.
I am mildly surprised that Murphy did not spot the increasein the gini coefficient for “original income” and write a tirade about it.
If I hae everything I wanted from benefits, what is the need for disposable income? Looks like a bad measurement to me.
“disposable income” includes the benefits you receive from government
EM and Theo have it. Inequality is GOOD!
Commie dick Murphy’s ideal of equality is mass squalor.
BTW, who are these Right-wing commentators?
Links?
Clearly the ONS itself is a right wing , if not fascist, body, spewing hate facts.
Spud’s standard responses:
when the facts change I stick me fingers in my ears and sing tra-la-la-la-la very loudly ….
or
When the facts change I change the definition to suit my narrative …