How Todays World Leaves Us Worse Off Than Our Ancestors

For generations here in the UK, the overarching ambition for so many was to give our children a better life than we had.

For many generations this has been the case. 

Over the last few years however, as the position of the all powerful aristocracy has been eroded.  The position of the all powerful large companies has however grown to replace this.

In years of old the serfs and servants were subjected to the whim and whimsy of those who controlled their lives through housing and basic necessities. So much so that the withdrawal of favour of those in power could result in people being on the streets starving.

In recent years these same controls are being exerted by large companies who are controlling remuneration which controls the purchasing power of their employees to buy housing and basic necessities. 

As servitude reduced, the common man became more able to exercise self determination.  In the seventies and eighties the children of the last of the subservient generations enjoyed the ability to purchase their own homes and cars, take foreign holidays and enjoy luxuries that were previously only available to the aristocracy and/or business owners. 

Workers could enjoy a standard of living only dreamt of in previous generations.

The new millennium however showed the results of changes made in the previous decades. 

Local businesses were bought over by larger companies whose main focus was profit.  As government agencies were instructed to become more efficient, sections of works were outsourced to the lowest bidder.  The introduction of a minimum wage, rather than improve conditions, allowed employers to start offering the lowest possible wage rather than pay for experience.

Many more layers were added to many industries, all who had to make a profit.  This meant that the lowest paid had to stay the lowest paid so that the company who employed them could still undercut the competition.  The profits however had to keep increasing so that those at the top could enjoy the fruits of their paper pushing.

Now we find ourselves in a situation similar to that of generations before us.  A situation where those who control housing and basic necessities are able to wield the same power as the aristocrats of old.  The power which could result again in people on the streets and starving. How long until the workhouse makes a return?

It’s now no longer a case of leaving our children better than we had, it’s more a case of trying not to lose everything and be in a worse situation than we were to start with.