THE GREAT HOUSING RIPOFF.

BACK STORY

I write here on the historic greed and callous attitude of the English Right Wing (Tories*), their predecessors, and the consequences of their nastiness. But note that this has parallels elsewhere…. An 18th Century Folk Poem says it all……..

They hang the man, and flog the woman, who steals the goose from off the common, Yet let the greater villain loose, that steals the common from the goose. The law demands that we atone, when we take things we do not own, But leaves the lords and ladies fine, who take things that are yours and mine.

The poor and wretched don’t escape, if they conspire the law to break, This must be so but they endure, those who conspire to make the law. The law locks up the man or woman, who steals the goose from off the common, And geese will still a common lack, until they go demand it back. ANON.

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A simplification of events, now, for clarities sake. For a fuller description of the iniquities visited on the global poor by afore mentioned nasties see Wikipedia on the Industrial Revolution and the Enclosures Acts…..

SO - Once upon a time, Dear Readers, the land we lived upon had no “owners”, no boundaries. At some point in history bands of brigands began to gain local control. At some later point, their leaders gave themselves fancy titles, often presenting themselves as representatives of supernatural forces. Elitism, enabled slavery. People and land became property. Tax and tithes were imposed on those who wished for a hovel, scribes created the law - backed by intimidation. Soon enough the Church, Crown and Aristocracies owned/seized just about everything and had documentation to prove that it was theirs by (divine ?) right. Chuck in the mass murder, and that’s how the Scots, Welsh and Irish became subjected to the English …. 25% of the Earth next stop !! Send lots of the poor to do the killing and God save the King. Bingo !! The rest of the poor were evicted, deported or sent to work in those Dark Satanic Mills. Housed in hovels worse than those in the countryside. Hurray !! The Industrial Revolution had arrived, More riches….. for the Elite at least. And whilst all this was going on, the nasties were grabbing each others land……

Point of interest 1). In 1786 there were 250,000 independent land owners; within 30 years all that land was held by 32,000. Somewhere along this line the Crown claimed the legal ownership of whatever lay below the land. Jolly good, oh yes, and the seabed etc., We are taught that the wealth so created was then invested in Mega industry, which would bring prosperity for all. As there was no clear definition proffered of “all” it was actually the poor who paid. God save the money for the Financial aristocracy. Same old Tory* cronies. Why the hell would anyone want to vote for them again ? Apart from the shareholders.

Point of interest 2). The Highland land clearances were known as “The eviction of the Gaels”. Many of whom drowned on the way to their promised lands, or were exploited on arrival. Sound familiar ??

Point of interest 3). *Tory is an auld Irish Word for Robber.

There are of course some genuine philanthropists in the families of the Unsavouries, they are to be applauded, just as are such brave campaigners like Mary Trump. Likewise there are Politicians who care about humanity and OUR Planet. Seek them out amongst the independent candidates, the small center left parties and the Greens. If you are one of the fast growing crowd who have realized that Brexit was for the sole benefit of the Hard right, then please do not fall for the spin “reformist” successors of Farage’s Brexit party. It is not in their interests to do anything at all to resolve the dire affordable housing shortage, nor to properly address the need for homes that can better withstand the onslaught of climate change complications. Let alone to resolve the desperate plight of refugees and the ever increasing homeless. Final thought is the old defeatist dogma that voting never changes anything. RHUBARB !! It’s the Right Wing that promote this absurdity….

Your comments, criticisms, questions, opinions, feedback are most welcome here.

Thankyou for reading my brief potted history on how we ended up in this mess. NeXt time I’ll be looking at ideas, within the context of Climate change, for radical alternatives, but just before you go, have another quickie at the poem that prefixes this stack. Peace, Maurice.

NeXt Ancient Legend, Weds 17th Jan. Wijken the Teacher.

NeXt A,B,C+D, Weds 24th Jan. Enter the G.Y. Dragon.

NeXt Climate & Housing Article, Sun 28 Jan. Affordable Ecohomes.

NeXt Inspirational Episode. Weds 31st Jan. The Boathouse, Right Now

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Thankyou for being here.