Scottish Socialist Party: `Make Greed History'
Global depression. Climate chaos. Billions starving. Why?
Most of the world’s problems today can be traced back to a single cause. Greed.
For decades, the rich went on a feeding frenzy. They piled up profits galore. They devoured the world’s resources and ignited global warming. They grabbed more and more wealth for themselves at the expense of everyone else.
One per cent of the UK population now own 34 times as much wealth as the bottom 50 per cent. Never in human history has so much been owned by so few.
How the rich caused the slump
With more cash than they could ever dream of spending, the rich went on a gambling binge. Instead of using their wealth to create jobs and fuel the real economy, they squandered trillions in the casinos of global capitalism.
Greed has also corrupted the political system with politicians pocketing expenses for everything from 32-inch TVs to having their moats cleaned and making money playing the property market.
Now the orgy of greed has turned sour. But who will pay the price?
The Scottish Socialist Party has launched a European-wide Make Greed History Campaign. The reckless rich caused this crisis – and they must foot the bill.
Why we need a wealth tax to create jobs
In Europe today, the wealthiest one per cent of the population own liquid assets worth $10 trillion dollars.
A modest, one-off wealth tax of just 10 per cent would generate a trillion dollars to create eight million jobs across Europe.
Scotland’s share of that tax would amount to £6.5 billion – enough to create and sustain 80,000 jobs over the next three years, with an average annual salary of £25,000.
We could build tens of thousands of new homes to rent. We could reduce class sizes by employing thousands more teachers and learning assistants. We could insulate every home in Scotland.
Call it a ``wealth tax'', call it a ``crisis tax'' – or even call it a ``greed tax''. It would be a mighty step out of recession, paid for by those who caused the crisis.
The Scottish Socialist Party stands for a green socialist Scotland in a green socialist Europe, an independent socialist Scotland.
Sign up now to support the SSP's campaign to Make Greed History.
Socialist Appeal: Euro MEPs do very well -- for themselves!
Euro MEPs do very well - for themselves!
By SN
http://www.socialist.net/euro-meps-expenses.htm
Tuesday, 02 June 2009
This Thursday will see elections for the European Parliament taking place. For many of those who can be bothered to vote, the election will be seen as a chance to send a message about the UK MPs Expenses scandal.But are the MEPs immune from all this?
eu.jpgThe recent publicity has concentrated rightly on how 'our' elected MPs have been ripping off the public purse left, right and centre. So too by the way have the blue-blooded scrougers in the House of Lords. This is all part of the culture at the top which says that it is OK to pocket a little extra - well, quite a lot actually - whilst moaning about those at the bottom who are just trying to get a few extra pennies in benefit. This same culture enables bosses to claim huge bonuses and then go on to demand wage restraint from the unions. But why should we be surprised? After all, the whole capitalist system functions on the basis that one class (capitalist) exists by stealing the wealth produced by another class (the workers) for their own benefit.
But back to our MEPs sitting in Brussels. They have had more than their fair share of scandals concerning expense claims - thos intending to vote UKIP take note - but little has been said about what they legally can claim by right. Last week's Economist had a short item on the new 'reformed' system they will be enjoying. It is worth reproducing in full:
'The new system offers a €92,000 annual salary and a generous “non-contributory” pension funded wholly by taxpayers. In addition, members will get a €50,424 annual allowance to run a constituency office (though some don’t have one), attendance allowances of €298 a day, and top-up travel expenses worth hundreds of euros a week: no receipts are needed. If that were not enough, in March this year almost 70% of MEPs voted to keep future expenses secret, though some British, Dutch and Nordic parties have promised that their MEPs will publish accounts.'
For the Marxist view of the EU click here: http://www.marxist.com/eu/