Blaming the Poor

Some thoughts on the Poor from Regina Waterbury, Minister for Housing the Ungrateful Common Herd

“The trouble with the poor is they expect so much of the rich, like our respect, something called common decency, not to be blamed for the latest financial crisis, to be able to eat…”
“It’s clearly their fault we are in this mess, why it’s getting so the government can hardly afford a drinks party. Let alone get in some image consultants to help fix the problem of seeming like a bunch of out of touch gin swilling liars without a shred of common decency…
It’s their fault they are in this mess, they should not have wasted their trust funds, at the very least they should go ask daddy for bit of pin money to tide them over like I did last year when I need to find a new stable for Mr Waffle-bums. Can some one pass me the cake?”
“What? No Mr Waffle-bums isn’t a horse, why on earth do you think he’s a horse? He’s the Marques of Blamford.”
“Anyway, its all the fault of the poor, they should pull themselves up by their boot straps and cash in some shard in north-sea gas or something if they are that hard up.”
“Gerry be a dear and get the Marquess a new nose bag will you?”

(And now so more clear and coherent thoughts on ‘Blaming the poor’ from the wonderful Nimue Brown)

Druid Life

There’s nothing new about blaming the poor for poverty. To my knowledge, the same ideas have been doing the rounds in the UK for as long as anyone has been keeping notes on such things. It is (we are told) the fault of the poor for being lazy, careless, making bad decisions, drinking, smoking, having too many babies.

Somehow it is never the fault of the rich, who claim to be rich thanks to their own merits. The relationship between riches for some and destitution for others is something we have never talked about enough. Wealth is made by extracting profit. The choice to pay workers less, and charge them more is very much part of how capitalism works. Having the power to decide how much a person is worth, and how much they should be charged for essentials – food and shelter – is a decision that remains in…

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