Britain's decline - is money holding us at ransom?

One of the many reasons I don't want kids. What is the world going to be like.

Automation will either create very poor majority and rich minority. Or some weird unrealised reality where no one needs to work.

I don't think I want to be around for either
 
Some good reading here guys - thanks!

I think yes globalisation is a key factor which I didn't think of.

Although I consider myself more centre than left, I liked what the Greens said earlier this week about a reduced working week of 4 days. Automation has been brought up in this thread, and the Greens were saying that by working reduced hours, there would be more job vacancies available to pick up job losses due to automation over the next few years / next few decades.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39471102
 
Rroff said:
As an aside I think latest oil estimates are that we have a lot more than previously thought - however its not exactly a straight forward story in the global oil markets at the moment and not a good time for us to be selling it in volume really. We still have a lot of expertise in various engineering areas that most countries can't match - in a lot of industry and agriculture, etc. our engines, pumps, etc. are still some of if not the best options out there. We would have to get back to doing what we used to do so well in terms of breaking new ground in sciences, design and engineering and export the results.
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Which the government just aren't willing to do. Investing in science isn't seen as sexy and as such is usually the first thing to be cut.

There's also the issue in the UK of aversion to risk - both government and private equity. It's argued that's one of the reasons the US has done so well in recent years. If you're a British company with a product that may be seen as a bit risky you move to the US and apply for investment there because "angels" and private equity are just more willing to invest money in higher risk ventures.
 
I think a part of it is finally having to pay for historical mistakes. Like silly huge pensions.
The country is waking up to having to pay off it's credit card bill. It's not only that, but when an organisation or company is sitting on a heavy pension bill and suddenly sees a downturn on its income it doesn't take long before people wake up and think "hang on a minute"

Think this happened in Greece a few years ago. Didn't they have the retirement age at 50 something?

Daft idiotic mistakes with the NHS building contracts was another thing.
 
glen8 said:
I think a part of it is finally having to pay for historical mistakes. Like silly huge pensions.
The country is waking up to having to pay off it's credit card bill. It's not only that, but when an organisation or company is sitting on a heavy pension bill and suddenly sees a downturn on its income it doesn't take long before people wake up and think "hang on a minute"

Think this happened in Greece a few years ago. Didn't they have the retirement age at 50 something?

Daft idiotic mistakes with the NHS building contracts was another thing.
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Yep, we are reaping what we sowed years ago.
 
I do find it a bit funny when then oldies complain about cuts to their unsustainable pensions. It's fine, we will just foot the bill and when we get to retirement the age will be 100!
 
scorza said:
Britain's golden age came about based on four strong pillars; nation, family, property and religion. Each one has been, or is in the process of being torn down by globalists. If we don't change course we'll end up being part of the third world, with a handful of very wealthy billionaires controlling the country and everyone else paying them rent.
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errr, that's the hear and now buddy...
 
MikeTheNative said:
Thanks to this thread which reminded me I need to up my pension contribution. I'm only 23 but I may as well put more in when I can afford it the most.
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It said the opposite to me! I suspect Pensions will be worth very little by the time I come to retire so whilst I have one for the employer contributions, it's not where my investment focus will be primarily.
 
I'm only putting bare minimum in at the moment so might bump it up to 5%. I'll probably going to start a thread about choices for long term investment, I'm completely in the dark with these things.
 
Rroff said:
We would have to get back to doing what we used to do so well in terms of breaking new ground in sciences, design and engineering and export the results.
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This. Sadly not so many people are interested in the STEM subjects nowadays. I think the govt. should be subsidising these courses as encouragement.
 
Basher said:
It said the opposite to me! I suspect Pensions will be worth very little by the time I come to retire so whilst I have one for the employer contributions, it's not where my investment focus will be primarily.
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Yep and me

Pensions will be worth nowt when I'm 75 (or will I be working till 80 by then). There will be such a crisis in the future, you might as well live for the here and now.
 
scorza said:
Britain's golden age came about based on four strong pillars; nation, family, property and religion. Each one has been, or is in the process of being torn down by globalists. If we don't change course we'll end up being part of the third world, with a handful of very wealthy billionaires controlling the country and everyone else paying them rent.
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And the economic exploitation of other nations as we extracted their natural resources without payment, destroyed their industry, and forced them to buy back the finished goods on unfavorable terms.
 
The rich exploit the poor.

At one time this country exploited others for their natural resources.

In more recent times we exploited cheaper labour in other countries to flood our shops with 'cheap' products and a market that generates incredible amount of tax on items which we dont really need (compare our commercial lifestyle and general outgoings compared to years ago)

In much more recent times our own government and large landowners exploited non landowners by setting up conditions that unrealistically pushes up the cost of land (BTL, appeal of leasing, few restrictions on foreign investors, few restrictions rent prices)
 
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