Grey Socialism
From the desk of Paul Belien on Wed, 2005-10-19 22:42
The Belgian trade unions are going on strike next week against the plan of the government to raise the minimum retirement age to 58 (at present one can retire at 55). In Belgium fewer than 30% of the population between 55 and 64 years of age are in work. The EU average (2003) is 40.2%, with only Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Estonia and Portugal above 50%.
Last month the German voters made a center-right coalition of the Christian-Democrats and the free-market Liberals impossible, thereby thwarting plans to reform the welfare system and make it less generous. In France Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, a dandy without convictions who has never been elected to public office, is becoming popular by depicting his rival, Nicolas Sarkozy, as a dangerous reformer who wants to cut back the welfare state. Like the Belgians and the Germans, the French do not want to give up the “social rights” to which they feel they are entitled.
One and a half centuries ago, John Stuart Mill warned that in a democracy everyone receiving government benefits ought to be disenfranchised, because otherwise people would start abusing their franchise to vote for prolonging and expanding these benefits. It is easy for governments, Mill said, to start distributing free milk in periods of prosperity, but nearly impossible to abolish this free milk distribution when economic circumstances no longer allow it. When Margaret Thatcher did exactly this as Secretary of Education in the early 1970s she was called “Thatcher the milk snatcher” and became highly unpopular. The British electoral system, however, allowed her to come to power a few years later and break the trade unions. With a system of proportional representation as in Belgium, Germany and France it would probably not have been possible.
Today Western European politicians are confronted with a generation that has been the most prosperous in history. At the same time they have been the most selfish generation in history. They have consumed the wealth that the previous generation left them, but they have also consumed the resources of the future generation, leaving it a burden of debt. Today the welfare systems are on the brink of collapse, but the selfish generation flatly refuses to give up any of its “social rights” and wants to continue milking the welfare state, forcing those who come after them to foot the bill.
The situation would not have been so bad if the selfish generation had at least replaced itself, but these people have also refused to procreate. The result is an ever growing electorate of elderly men and women versus an ever smaller electorate of young people. Some German and Austrian conservatives have proposed to give parents with young children multiple voting rights, where parents get an additional vote for each child, in order to restore the electoral balance. These proposals have been rejected by the selfish generation. The red socialists of yesteryear have been replaced by the grey socialists of today.
I'm 21 years old. This means
Submitted by Brigands on Thu, 2005-10-20 13:54.
I'm 21 years old. This means that me and my future children will have to bear the brunt of the collapse when the state social security system (4S) crashes. With every strike, with every stuborn and selfish position from the unions I get mad. Their future and screw the rest seems to be their policy. My reply is very simple: Screw me ? Screw you! I will simply refuse to work my ass off for them, you wont get a nickle from me. It will be ME, ME and ME and dont you dare to whine about it. They want to play tough,well bring it on oldtimers.
Unfortunately I do have a soft spot somewhere. We can still turn the tide but then we need to scare off people.
We have to put it bluntly: Continue to do so and you're doomed.
Reform; liberalise and hand in some elements and we might have a chance.
Workers are afraid that the economy will collapse, companies will go abroad...lets scare them: that will happen if you continue to cling on to the system.
Dont be mad at us, be mad at those that deceived you...those that have been telling you that they'll solve the problems without deploying a policy that works.
If there is one political family that I blame in Belgium then its the Socialist branch.
I clearly recall the big Führer of Hasselt threatening one day before the 2004 elections.
It went a bit like: Vote for us otherwise you can kiss your pension goodbye.
The liberals lack the punching power. Without even bringing up the stopping power from the Southern crypto-communist patch of the Belgian Kingdom. Lets not forget the annual treasury robbery and the continuing 3rd world region that clings on to us.
As a conclusion: Bring on the Republic, bring on an alternative goverment, let the people know the consequences of their actions and let them themselves undergo the consequences on their own.
It is time for action, not for words.
Unfortunately I'm surrounded by reds all over the place and they wont listen...their new grand masterplan seems to be "Migration will rescue us". Bring in young - muslim seemed to be favoured above all- migrants to fill in the failing demography and they'll do the work for us all living in harmony in the multicultural society. Nearly 90 years ago they had another masterplan: The post-Capitalist society of the great Socialism. So..we have to crush the socialists and also the Catholic party a tad.
Don't get your hopes up...
Submitted by Kevin Pohl (not verified) on Sun, 2005-10-23 02:55.
I heard from a dear friend in Germany recently that the EU is getting ready to pass a directive that will force children to pay financial support to their parents, no matter whether said parents ever did much in the way of parenting.
With legislation like that nobody can scare the older generation into prudent fiscal policy.
Legacy
Submitted by Bob Doney on Wed, 2005-10-19 23:52.
The Economist (J S Mills's favourite magazine) has an interesting article this week about the dire effects deferred pension and benefit costs are having in the USA, particularly on large, unionised companies, such as the car makers and the airlines. So whereas the State has picked up the tab directly in Europe, it may also have to in America as more and more companies seek Chapter 11 protection, and thus dump the welfare of their aged employees into the lap of the government.
Either way on both sides of the Atlantic the upcoming generation will pay for all this from their taxes, while at the the same time being expected to make proper provision for their own old age. Fat chance!
Bob Doney
Get off your a**e!
Submitted by Bob Doney on Wed, 2005-10-19 23:37.
At least the really red socialists used to say, "From each according to his ability....". I would be ashamed to "retire" and expect a younger generation to pay for my pension if I was fit enough to work and work was available. What's the matter with these people?! It's not as if their State pensions have been funded from the taxes they've paid.
In the UK this week the government have caved in to the unions (still threatening strikes in spite of Maggie) and agreed that raising the retirement age for public service workers from 60 to 65 will only take effect for new employees. The existing ones can continue to retire on inflation-proof pensions at 60. The rest of us have to soldier on till 65, if we're lucky.
I frankly can't imagine retiring with a third of my (hoped-for!) adult life in front of me. There are some "pensioners" living up our road - their lawns are immaculate and their cars really shiny.
Bob Doney