Don’t Cut Down the Tall Poppies’: Thatcherism and the Strategy of Inequality

Author(s):  
Carol Walker

This chapter looks at the impact of the range of polices on taxation and incomes, social security, and the social wage, which contributed to the unprecedented growth in poverty and inequality under the Thatcher administrations. It finds that despite the growth both in levels of poverty and in the gap between the rich and the poor, which occurred during her period office, key elements of the philosophy underpinning her strategy of inequality survived both through John Major’s premiership and, despite its commitment to reducing poverty, through the New Labour administrations. Her legacy can also be seen in the policies of the 2010 Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government, which looks set to preside again over both a growth in poverty and a growing gap between the rich and the poor.

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk G. Van der Merwe

The Letter of James addresses the dichotomy between the socioeconomic classes of the rich (πλούσιος) and the poor (πτωχὸς). This research reveals the social and labour relations resulting from this dichotomy and the wealth of socioeconomic data contained in this letter. The rich are alerted to the consequences of their unrighteousness towards the poor, and the poor receive exhortations of encouragement. The metaphoric use of �richness� is also examined. This research focuses on the socioeconomic activities and attitudes that this dichotomy prompted during the second part of the first century, and it indicates how the economic system impacted on and influenced the lives of the early Christians in the 1st century Mediterranean world. James bounces these questions around to cast the rich, as well as the Christian assembly, in a bad light for condoning the mistreatment of the poor. His three rhetorical questions are quite to the point and are meant to be answered affirmatively.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 183449092110257
Author(s):  
Qiong Li ◽  
Chen Deng ◽  
Bin Zuo ◽  
Xiaobin Zhang

This study explored whether vertical position affects social categorization of the rich and the poor. Experiment 1 used high- and low-income occupations as stimuli, and found participants categorized high-income occupations faster when they were presented in the top vertical position compared to the bottom vertical position. In Experiment 2, participants responded using either the “up” or “down” key to categorize high- and low-income occupations, and responded faster to high-income occupations with the “up” key and low-income occupations with the “down” key. In Experiment 3, names identified as belonging to either rich or poor individuals were presented at the top or bottom of a screen, and the results were the same as in Experiments 1 and 2. These findings suggest that social categorization based on wealth involved perceptual simulations of vertical position, and that vertical position affects the social categorization of the rich and the poor.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135406612110014
Author(s):  
Glen Biglaiser ◽  
Ronald J. McGauvran

Developing countries, saddled with debts, often prefer investors absorb losses through debt restructurings. By not making full repayments, debtor governments could increase social spending, serving poorer constituents, and, in turn, lowering income inequality. Alternatively, debtor governments could reduce taxes and cut government spending, bolstering the assets of the rich at the expense of the poor. Using panel data for 71 developing countries from 1986 to 2016, we assess the effects of debt restructurings on societal income distribution. Specifically, we study the impact of debt restructurings on social spending, tax reform, and income inequality. We find that countries receiving debt restructurings tend to use their newly acquired economic flexibility to reduce taxes and lower social spending, worsening income inequality. The results are also robust to different model specifications. Our study contributes to the globalization and the poor debate, suggesting the economic harm caused to the less well-off following debt restructurings.


2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (13) ◽  
pp. 2503-2517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vítor V. Vasconcelos ◽  
Francisco C. Santos ◽  
Jorge M. Pacheco

Global coordination for the preservation of a common good, such as climate, is one of the most prominent challenges of modern societies. In this manuscript, we use the framework of evolutionary game theory to investigate whether a polycentric structure of multiple small-scale agreements provides a viable solution to solve global dilemmas as climate change governance. We review a stochastic model which incorporates a threshold game of collective action and the idea of risky goods, capturing essential features unveiled in recent experiments. We show how reducing uncertainty both in terms of the perception of disaster and in terms of goals induce a transition to cooperation. Taking into account wealth inequality, we explore the impact of the homophily, potentially present in the network of influence of the rich and the poor, in the different contributions of the players. Finally, we discuss the impact of polycentric sanctioning institutions, showing how such a scenario also proves to be more efficient than a single global institution.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-55
Author(s):  
Hasta Herlan Asymar

Abstract  – The calculation of the value of the Reasonable Land Turnover Terdamapak Job Reaktifasi railway line for arbitration was Muaro Logas was part of the study of the action of liberation/land and buildings for the reform plan of the reaktifasi railway line between Muaro-Logas is part of the planning of the reactivation railway line. This study analyzes regulations and policies, perceived an inventory and survey/census by identifying the affected community land procurement, with regard to the characteristics and the types of harm experienced, agreement agreement between the local government, the province and the Center in funding the acquisition of land; analyze optimum land procurement and analyse livelihood for the population affected by socio-economic factors, analyzing the parameters with the social, cultural, and economic related to population, the impact of the procurement of land and influence implementation of the work against the poor, residents of the tribal minorities, alienated, and other vulnerable groups, including women, as well as the institutional framework in planning the liberation of land and the settlements back including duties and responsibilities each institution. In the calculation of the Reasonable Replacement Value using Standar Penilaian Indonesia306 (SPI 306) about the assessment of the provision of Land for development for the benefit of the public


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Hunton

This study examines the impact of alternative telework strategies on professional and personal outcomes. The research design is a longitudinal between-participants field experiment with two manipulated factors: satellite office space available (no, yes) and downtown office space available (no, yes). In all four conditions, participants could telework from home. The design incorporated a fifth (control) condition with no telework, reflecting current company policy. One hundred sixty medical coders from a large health care company participated in the experiment. Archival data recorded work locations, task interruptions, quality adjusted task performance, and employee retention, while the experience sampling method (ESM) captured cognitive and affective responses. The findings help to explain the social dynamics of work location autonomy in the rich ecological settings of employees' organizational and personal environments.


Author(s):  
Ian Cummins

This chapter explores the social and psychological impacts on poverty and inequality through the concepts of ‘advanced marginality’ and ‘stigma’. The analysis of social stigma is influenced by Loïc Wacquant's argument that the ‘underclass’ discourse corrodes not only social ties, but also the sense of self-worth of people living in the poorest areas and communities. The majority of social work takes place in these communities, where high rates of poverty, poor housing, high rates of crime and problems such as substance misuse are common. The chapter first considers the term ‘underclass’ before discussing the notion and implications of the term ‘advanced marginality’. It then examines E. Goffman's notion of stigma, Wacquant's arguments regarding ‘territorial stigmatisation’, and the impact of stigma and its links with modern representations of poverty. Finally, it describes the dynamics of anti-welfarism and uses the case of Mick Philpott to illustrate the ‘benefits brood’ stereotype.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-151
Author(s):  
JONATHAN A. SCHWABISH ◽  
JULIE H. TOPOLESKI

SUMMARYProposed changes to the Social Security system will affect the financial risk workers will face in their retirement differently across the income distribution. This study examines levels of financial risk workers face at different points in the lifetime earnings distribution. To do so, we use a microsimulation model that projects individual demographic and economic characteristics within the context of the Social Security system and the macroeconomy to assess the impact of two policy changes on the levels of lifetime benefits available to current and future retirees. Further, we incorporate data on pensions and savings to illustrate differences in the level and distribution of retirement funds across the earnings distribution. This exercise allows us to assess the financial risk workers face in their retirement, both within the Social Security system itself and within a broader view of the stream of total available retirement funds. We also use survey data to show that low earners are the least willing to tolerate such risk.


2004 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 37-50
Author(s):  
P.K. Thornton ◽  
P.M. Kristjanson ◽  
R.L. Kruska ◽  
R.S. Reid

Detailed geographical profiles of poverty and inequality can be extremely valuable to governments, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions that aim to strengthen the impact of their spending on poverty. Some developing countries use information on the geographical distribution of welfare indicators to guide the allocation of resources among local agencies or government as a first step in reaching the poor. Poverty maps can also be important tools for researchers.


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