FT: The cost of burgeoning national debt

ninky_2

benood wrote: »

Is anyone opposing a minimum wage?

Depends on the level - if it's set too high employers will avoid recruiting and the country will suffer higher unemployment.

i don't see the point in competing for labour prices on the global market when there are countries with sweat shops out there.

i think we should ban imports of goods made by companies that employ people below a living wage and pay everyone here a salary that can sustain their basic needs and some quality needs as well. otherwise what is the point of the jobs?

benood

ninky wrote: »

i don't see the point in competing for labour prices on the global market when there are countries with sweat shops out there.

i think we should ban imports of goods made by companies that employ people below a living wage and pay everyone here a salary that can sustain their basic needs and some quality needs as well. otherwise what is the point of the jobs?

What is a living wage? I think that I would prefer people in low wage countries to have the opportunity to work at low wage levels as long as they are not slaves - by which I mean they are free to leave their job, it's a difficult judgement but ultimately these societies will be better off as a result.

I certainly wouldn't choose to adopt protectionist policies - just read up on the Smoot-Hawley tariff act to see where that can lead.

ninky_2

benood wrote: »

What is a living wage? .

a living wage is a wage that can pay for shelter, food, bills, clothing, travel to and from work. plus a few extras such as occasional night out, cheap haircut etc.

the current minimum wage sees someone working a 48 hour week taking home around 225 a week. Not nearly enough to support this. Especially in cities like London.

a low wage is actually worse than no wage because it requires you to give up a large section of time, so preventing you from doing anything else to improve your situation.

it is effectively slavery because if the only option is to leave it, that's no choice.

kabayiri

ninky wrote: »

i don't see the point in competing for labour prices on the global market when there are countries with sweat shops out there.

i think we should ban imports of goods made by companies that employ people below a living wage and pay everyone here a salary that can sustain their basic needs and some quality needs as well. otherwise what is the point of the jobs?

There is a good point here.

The western economies appear to be happy to sanction a slave-like existence for millions of chinese and asian workers.

This is so we can buy a cheap mobile or radio every year and throw away the old one even if it's not broken.

Somehow, this country needs to produce high value, high quality goods again, which people will pay premium for and expect years of service out of these goods.

Contrary to what many think, we still do have pockets of world class manufacturing in this country. If only we valued it as a skill....

carolt

Braveheart100 wrote: »

I think that people who are living of the sweat of others, such as yourself (even if they are family) probably should'nt be calling for the end of socialism - which is there to protect the vunerable particularly the unemployed. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to live with their in-laws for free when they lose their jobs. I'm from an old fashioned generation of men and I don't see how you can boast about spending all that time exercising and debating on the web when you have a family to feed and put a roof over their heads. Personally, I would have thought that losing your livlihood would make you more considerate of the vunerable and less fortunate. It would seem not. But then what else would you expect of someone who worked in the city.

Having fallen on hard times you would think that you would be more sympathetic to the fact that socialists are trying to help the unfortunate and poor.

Funny how you are a heartless Tory despite losing your job. maybe when you have been unemployed for a year then maybe you will maybe get to understand why people are socialists?

PS Is your signature there to remind people how much money the financial sector has cost us in 12 years? You must be very proud of yourself and your cronies for the mess they have created.

Somewhat unfair - I don't think Generali's politics are 'heartless' - but he does use the 's' word (socialist) as an easy insult - maybe a throwback to years in banking?

On the contrary - I think he doesn't expect anyone to take pity on him or bail him out - so he is, fairly, applying his own standards to others.

mewbie_2

JACKBLACK wrote: »

How did I guess that was going to be the answer:rotfl:

So what if we do have a big deficit? Those of us who love Britain because it's a great country will still continue to be happy to live here and will thrive here. However, those people who only live in Britain for what they can get out of Britain will be very sad because there is nothing here for them anymore.

What is all this patriotic guff? I live in Britain coz I was born here. It doesn't particularly made me proud, it's just where I live. Like living in a particular road, or town or county. I work, pay tax and in return expect the government that I try to vote for (its a democracy) to do something for me by NOT MESSING IT UP!!!.

When they mismanage things and generally screw over virtually everyone in the country then I have a right to complain about it. If you like.. it's my patriotic duty.

Wookster

mewbie wrote: »

What is all this patriotic guff?

Ignore that twit. People like Jack are too stupid, ignorant and lazy to see the problems this country faces or to do anything about them.

Rochdale_Pioneers

Wookster wrote: »

Ignore that twit. People like Jack are too stupid, ignorant and lazy to see the problems this country faces or to do anything about them.

What are you personally proposing to do about them. Specifically?

benood

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

What are you personally proposing to do about them. Specifically?

Which - people like Jack or the problems of this country? Perhaps you think they're synonymous?

Rochdale_Pioneers

benood wrote: »

Which - people like Jack or the problems of this country? Perhaps you think they're synonymous?

I meant WTFookster. Or one of his socks.