I get billed on Electricity every month here and it runs around $80 in the winter and $120 in the summer.
The Electricity and water are ready monthly (two different companies) they just drive up to the gate and get it via wifi or something.
Out here we don’t pay for sewage because I use a septic tank with a leach field. It only needs emptied/pumped every 10 years or so. That around $1500 to empty.
Same here Spitty.
£651.76 last year.
£854.12 this year.
A rise of 31% daylight bloody robbery…
I’m not metered so I pay that amount however much I use, so guess what?
My lawns are enjoying regular watering during this dry spell…
I’ll get my monies worth…
Interesting Scot…
Many years ago our water bills were included in the general rate bill, the £854 I paid this year was more than the combined amount of both bills back then.
In 2000 I paid just £164 water bill…
I think what you are saying is that the privatisation of water companies has successfully lined the pockets of shareholders, company directors and the banks providing the huge loans.
Yes, its complicated and the old class splits seems to be eroding in the UK. But its kept alive by private schooling, unequal access / enablement / leg-ups, inherited wealth, utter snobbery by some and terrible chips on the shoulder by others.
Nonetheless the primary problem is the influence that excessive money buys. That surely is the opposite of democracy, whether its family money or recently acquired money.
Sadly, it isn’t. There are age old caste systems in places like India, ‘royal families’ and their puppets all across the world, and more recently, greedy billionaires. These people fall into the ‘ruling class’, those that wield all the power and inflict it on the masses:
In sociology and political science, the “ruling class” refers to the social group that holds the most political and economic power in a society. This group typically sets the agenda, makes decisions, and controls the resources that shape the lives of other members of society.
How you speak is a side effect, money, power and the family you were born into are much more critical measures.
Either way, while there is obviously some crossover, the ruling classes are specifically as above:
In sociology and political science, the “ruling class” refers to the social group that holds the most political and economic power in a society. This group typically sets the agenda, makes decisions, and controls the resources that shape the lives of other members of society.
You see the British caste system in their military as the poor wind up in infantry , artillery and the sons of those with some means in office jobs .
After the draft in the USA was abolished those who go infantry , artillery , tankers and other combat occupations is because they want the bonus or some simply want to try it but in UK where you have mandatory service the poor get the worse and amazed it isn’t talked about there in news , etc .