The UK has a typical class system based on earnings. The poor end of Working Class survive mainly because of benefits such as Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Child Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Income Support etc.
These benefits are paid for by the government's fairly high tax on the Middle Class, and astronomical tax on the Upper Class, so quite often those people feel that they are basically paying for the survival of the poor and the lazy, and being penalized for being successful.
I am currently a member of the poorer end of Working Class, not because I am lazy, or because I am thick and incapable of finding a well-paid job, but because I am about to go to University for 4 years. It is likely that once I graduate with a Masters, I will be able to earn a very good income from the jobs which will then be available to me.
Whilst sympathizing with the Upper Class's resentment of their paying for the survival of alot of lazy people via benefits (which is probably true, alongside those with a genuine need and right to these benefits), I do think it is still right that they pay the taxes which they do.
Life is not fair at all. Somewhere in our teenage years or earlier the less sheltered of us figure that out, and the particularly unfortunate discover it much earlier. Some people are born with a brilliant mind, into a loving and wealthy family, who use their wealth with wisdom and support and nourish their children towards a fulfilling and very well-paid career, while some people are born into abusive homes in terrible neighbourhoods, are bullied, are unintelligent, and have very little skill in anything. Its just the luck of the draw. None of us chose our circumstances, we were just born into them utterly randomly.
It could be that the brilliant and wealthy child uses his abilities and connections to get a good job, into which he puts 100% effort. It could also be that the unintelligent and unskilled child also uses his limited abilities and limited connections to get a feeble job, into which he also puts 100% effort. Does either child deserve to survive more than the other? No. If they are already giving 100% is there anything more they could do? No. Is it fair, therefore, that people should be penalized for the class they were born into? Should anyone be penalized for something they did not choose nor had any control over? Absolutely not.
So who should shoulder the responsibility of providing much needed funds to life's less privileged? We probably all should, even those fellow poor should pay even a little tax towards the communal pot. Surely those who are wealthy and blessed with a luxurious lifestyle should be willing to pay a higher tax level so that those who are not so privileged, or who were not born with those abilities can have food, clothing, shelter and one or two creature comforts. 'From those to whom much is given, much is expected'.
Of course there will always be those who just abuse the system by signing on the dole and getting all the benefits when they are perfectly capable of working and doing their bit for their family and society, and they are the ones, I believe, who the Upper Class and much of the Middle Class are so resentful about having to support via taxes. However, if the tax system is changed so that this is no longer the case, then those underprivileged who have a legitimate claim to help will be denied, and we would be throwing the baby out with the bath water so to speak.
The tax system also pays for the majority of University tuition fees, capping the amount which is charged at around three and a half grand per year for British Citizens. Oxford and Cambridge have been campaigning to remove the cap, but my issue with that, is again the removal of opportunity for the working classes to get qualified and to rise above their position.
Without the cap it would be increasingly difficult to get qualified and to have serious goals and ambitions to have a high flying career. The same opportunities should be available to everyone, and once I have my degree, and have completed University study to whichever level I decide, I hope I never resent paying the higher bracket of income tax, because without the current system, I would not have been able to get there.
These benefits are paid for by the government's fairly high tax on the Middle Class, and astronomical tax on the Upper Class, so quite often those people feel that they are basically paying for the survival of the poor and the lazy, and being penalized for being successful.
I am currently a member of the poorer end of Working Class, not because I am lazy, or because I am thick and incapable of finding a well-paid job, but because I am about to go to University for 4 years. It is likely that once I graduate with a Masters, I will be able to earn a very good income from the jobs which will then be available to me.
Whilst sympathizing with the Upper Class's resentment of their paying for the survival of alot of lazy people via benefits (which is probably true, alongside those with a genuine need and right to these benefits), I do think it is still right that they pay the taxes which they do.
Life is not fair at all. Somewhere in our teenage years or earlier the less sheltered of us figure that out, and the particularly unfortunate discover it much earlier. Some people are born with a brilliant mind, into a loving and wealthy family, who use their wealth with wisdom and support and nourish their children towards a fulfilling and very well-paid career, while some people are born into abusive homes in terrible neighbourhoods, are bullied, are unintelligent, and have very little skill in anything. Its just the luck of the draw. None of us chose our circumstances, we were just born into them utterly randomly.
It could be that the brilliant and wealthy child uses his abilities and connections to get a good job, into which he puts 100% effort. It could also be that the unintelligent and unskilled child also uses his limited abilities and limited connections to get a feeble job, into which he also puts 100% effort. Does either child deserve to survive more than the other? No. If they are already giving 100% is there anything more they could do? No. Is it fair, therefore, that people should be penalized for the class they were born into? Should anyone be penalized for something they did not choose nor had any control over? Absolutely not.
So who should shoulder the responsibility of providing much needed funds to life's less privileged? We probably all should, even those fellow poor should pay even a little tax towards the communal pot. Surely those who are wealthy and blessed with a luxurious lifestyle should be willing to pay a higher tax level so that those who are not so privileged, or who were not born with those abilities can have food, clothing, shelter and one or two creature comforts. 'From those to whom much is given, much is expected'.
Of course there will always be those who just abuse the system by signing on the dole and getting all the benefits when they are perfectly capable of working and doing their bit for their family and society, and they are the ones, I believe, who the Upper Class and much of the Middle Class are so resentful about having to support via taxes. However, if the tax system is changed so that this is no longer the case, then those underprivileged who have a legitimate claim to help will be denied, and we would be throwing the baby out with the bath water so to speak.
The tax system also pays for the majority of University tuition fees, capping the amount which is charged at around three and a half grand per year for British Citizens. Oxford and Cambridge have been campaigning to remove the cap, but my issue with that, is again the removal of opportunity for the working classes to get qualified and to rise above their position.
Without the cap it would be increasingly difficult to get qualified and to have serious goals and ambitions to have a high flying career. The same opportunities should be available to everyone, and once I have my degree, and have completed University study to whichever level I decide, I hope I never resent paying the higher bracket of income tax, because without the current system, I would not have been able to get there.
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