You might well do, for some reason, if you're hoping that the local food bank can give you some food.

And as I pointed out above, evidence shows that the wider the income gap, the worse the social outcomes for ALL in society: ie health, crime, education etc.

Why am I getting this feeling of deja vu?

Because you have seen it before?

Exactly. There has always been, and will always be an Income Gap. "Rich as Croesus" was a popular expression from 500 BC Greece.There are those individuals who inherit fortunes or create wealth and provide employment, and there is a great rump of people happy to turn up daily and get paid for their labours. It matters not a jot to most people, that there are people in the City earning 7 figure bonuses, apart from a wish that they themselves were bright enough to have such a job. Envy, is a perfectly natural emotion, but when that becomes your raison d'etre, then you are never going to be a happy chappy, wherever you are on the social/financial scale.

The only people still whinging in Political terms about the unfairness of life, are those misguided enough in their youth to hitch their star to Communism, and 20 years after its collapse, have not come to terms with it. In amongst that sullen band will be a few old Socialists, who hark back to their glory days of Scargill and his like, and miss the destructive negative ability they once had to hold society to ransom. But not their Union member funded perks of course....expect to pay the going rent on a London flat?.... How Dare You Sir!

We are still a fairly affluent country, we spend many millions on aid abroad, are amongst the first to respond in any disasters, and if there are foodbanks being provided in the UK for those people who need them, then surely that simply underlines that we live in a caring society?

Christ, even Coddy has a new van!

In effect, you say that: 'Oh well, it's always been like that and always will be', in which case, why try to improve the lot of one's fellow citizens?

Given who has agreed with your post, perhaps that tells you something.

Excellent post.

There seem to be a lot of negative posters on these forums. The types that will always focus on the negatives in even the most positive stories. Very sad.

Got any answers to all the questions you've been asked?

Oh look – already run away again.

Mintball - you are all for lessons in simple economics. As Mrs Merkel pointed out last year Europe has 7% of the world's population, 25% of global GDP and 50% of global social spending. Some questions for you:

What do you think will happen if that state of affairs is not addressed?

Do you think it's fair that we have so much of the cake when others have so little?

Do you really think that the global cake will expand to c.7 times its current level in the short-term so that we can justify that level of spending based on your concept of what's fair?