Letter: Why the poor always pay
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Neal Ascherson's analysis "Stalinism or Capitalism, it's the poor who always pay" (1 December) was "spot-on" with regard to the baneful influence of grand ideological designs.
Those who propound and enact such designs, from the old Soviet Union to the advocates of trickle-down economics, never share the lifestyles of those who are forced to undergo "necessary" privations in the vague and usually fruitless hope that succeeding generations will benefit. If they did, there is little doubt that their perspectives on "belt- tightening" would be different.
A drive towards egalitarianism, including a national maximum as well as national minimum wage, would alleviate the worst of the deprivation resulting from such calls for austerity.
But, since the advocates of free-market liberalism usually escape the consequences of their belt-tightening schemes, perhaps, as Ascherson hints, the future is destined to be bleak.
Mick McGrath
Edinburgh
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments