The western world might be better than many third world countries but that is not the point. The western world is not successful for the majority of people and the wealth gulf, the success gulf is getting bigger. There is an inherent problem with our current model that fails the majority of people and abnormally rewards the minority. That is not “so successful”.
Your comparison of high tax levels in the 70’s is not useful. This was primarily high income tax at high earnings levels. That is not a tax on wealth or assets. The UK’s poor competitiveness at that time was not born from the income tax policy - but rather other industrial issues, post war repayment & rebuilding challenges and the long shadow of empire-reliance issues. Oh and the OPEC oil price hikes of the early 70’s. Linking problems just to income tax is wrong.
There is no evidence that personal tax cuts actually make the economy thrive. Equally there is evidence that cutting corporation tax simply means companies provide greater payback for investors. Other factors are required before companies switch to more investment.
But I fully agree with your comments about intelligent taxation to encourage investment - and stable well regulated growth.
Oh, sorry!
Scotland has now become a highly sought after country to move to –
‘‘Scots butcher creates ‘best black pudding in the UK’ by tweaking World War II recipe’’
His victory helps put Arbroath on the culinary map for a reason other than the world-famous Smokies. Black puddings were introduced to Scotland from England and France, according to Ms Bennett, making it an extra special achievement to beat English butchers.
He said: "This is just amazing – overwhelming. To be judged as making the best black pudding in the whole of the UK is such an honour. We faced some amazing talent from the rest of the country and came out tops – that’s just fantastic.
"Black Pudding competitions are always fiercely fought events among our butchers and the UK title was the one they all wanted to win – especially as it’s the first ever champions’ showdown of its type. Scotland fielded a really strong team of regional and national champions and DH Robertson’s win underpins the belief that our small producers of high-quality food can triumph at UK level against the fiercest competition.
In Latin America from speaking to countless here who fled left or right dictators , REGARDLESS of party you will get a corrupt dictator which is another reason why cartels appeal to so many .
A woman from Colombia told me some years back that during the time of FARC her family had a farm .
During the day the Army would come steal chickens , at night the FARC Guerillas would come steal chickens .
If she complained to the government about the Army she would be called a FARC sympathizer and arrested , disappear ( killed in prison ) , if they said anything to the Guerillas they would be shot right there and that is pretty much the governments there .
There are exceptions like Costa Rica though expensive as can be now .
This is made up economics created to provide a tissue of credibility for Reagan’s tax cuts. It is not based on anything tangible and ignores the complexities of actual tax regimes. Just chuck it in the bin…
The 70’s did not just have high income tax but other taxes and restrictions on the markets. Opec didnt just upset our economy. A blanket tax hike has never led to higher growth or a better distribution of wealth because the market adjusts accordingly. A free for all is also not the answer. Incremental changes and tweaks are required. But each government wants to make its m ark regardless of the impact on ordinary people
How true that is .
I agree. Carefully applied starting with a wealth tax. Why did you think I meant a blanket and large hike? And also closing loopholes.
Exactly. Eviscerating The toxic chalices inherited.
Which like or loth. Tackles each. With the **“Transparency”**strong text Of Plain, readily understood. English. That replaces years of Double Entendre.
Talking the talk. Fearful of Walking The Walk.
You used the phrase “tax them high”? You didn’t give much more detail than that. Again the term “wealth tax” doesn’t give much detail. Someone should replace the term with “success tax”.
The sorts of things being proposed by the loo-ney tunes version of labour we currently have will send the property market into nosedive if they are ever implemented. It could seriously deflate many properties and lead to swathes of negative equity. Combined with the changes in rental laws this could end with huge numbers of landlords withdrawing from the market. The combination of both policies is disaster dynamite.
True, fair point, I did say that the wealthy need to be highly taxed. My clarification is that “highly” should be “as high as ordinary people” in terms of percentage.
Wealth tax absolutely should not be called anything else. Certainly not anything that infers tax on achievement, effort, and winning. What about inherited wealth - is that someone gaining wealth through striving hard and succeeding? What about wealth passively gained from sitting on a house that goes from £500k to £3m over the thirty years someone lives there - is that success through hard work? What about putting your millions into a hedge fund so they can rip of everyone else and you gain massively - is that success? Its best to call it wealth tax.
Here’s a question that David Lammy ought to be asked…
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
For a second there I thought you were calling him fat.
Who checks the checkers?
All economics is made up. Economists only exist to make Astrologers look good.
We’re not referring to draughts here
Who guards the guards is perhaps a more relevant translation. 
Economists point out that there is only one pie and astrologers tell you there will be more pie tomorrow.
No, Astrologers tell you there may be more pie tomorrow, Politicians tell you there will be more pie tomorrow 
UK stops sharing some intel with US over Trump’s ‘drug boat’ strikes in Caribbean: report’’
The United Kingdom has taken the unprecedented step of pausing some intelligence sharing with the United States over fears of being implicated in potentially illegal strikes against vessels accused of ferrying drugs in the Caribbean, new reporting reveals.
A total of 76 people have been confirmed killed by the U.S. government in the strikes, which the White House’s critics say amount to extrajudicial killings. Those targeted are not afforded trials or any form of due process. The U.S. government has also designated top officials in Venezuela’s government as the alleged leaders of “Cartel de los Soles”, a group it claims is involved in the drug trade.
The Independent reached out to the White House for comment on Tuesday morning, but did not immediately receive a response.
A group of independent experts hired by the U.N. Human Rights Council acknowledged Trump’s justification, but stated in October that “even if such allegations were substantiated, the use of lethal force in international waters without proper legal basis violates the international law of the sea and amounts to extrajudicial executions.”
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”
----- Albert Einstein? Al-Anon? Narcotics Anonymous? Max Nordau? George Bernard Shaw? Samuel Beckett? George A. Kelly? Rita Mae Brown? John Larroquette? Jessie Potter? Werner Erhard?