If you are unemployed and have not paid income tax should you be allowed to vote?

Question

With the exception of people who have retired, are genuinely disabled, ( or care for someone who is disabled), people who are permanently unemployed contribute nothing to the nation, why then should they be able to take part in elections?

Glad to see I've got so many replies, and yes I am a Daily Mail reader not a Daily Star one, I'm not a snob and like many people struggle to pay my bills and taxes and I get totally browned off when I see lazy scroungers that I know have never worked supping beer outside pubs all Summer long.
The point about mothers taking care of the kids is a fair one and one I would agree with totally.

Answer 1

YES THEY SHOULD, IT'S THESE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE VOTE TO TURN IN THEIR FAVOUR TO HELP THEM GET ALONG IN THIS COUNTRY. I was unemployed with a child bringing her up alone father had died. I was not able to work as I could no way bring in enough money the pay the rent and all the other bills. I was better off on income support where it was paid for me. I wanted so despratley to work but when the landlord wants over £100 a week rent and then the council tax has to be paid along with the water, gas, electric, food oh then clothes nappies etc the list goes on I only earned £160 a week you tell me who to do it and I would have. Oh and just to let you know I was not entitled to housing benifit or let off the council tax it all wanted to be paid and I did not have enough money to do it. The the social told me to stop working and go on income support??? so I had no choice in the end I had to, so dont sit there in your own house and tell me am I allowed to vote, why should you have your own house when I don't see it works both ways darling.

Answer 2

The right to vote in a general election was won on the backs of the working man and women of the United Kingdom over a century ago. Whilst times have changed and moral responsability has taken a back seat to greed and selfishness, the right to determine destiny in some small way via the Ballot box remains a right not a privilage.

WW1 and WWII were fought to remove the sectarian segregation of a social group based on religion, or social standing. So your question is in more ways than one an afront to the many Millions of lives that have been shed by ordinary folk on the battle fields of Europe and beyond.

People have sponged for centuries, and are the beggars on British streets or the bootlegers, criminals and foreigners any less a social scurge than the bone idle or the work shy. None of these groups contribute to society in any meaningful way.

So you socialist moron, stop wipping up a storm from your armchair and take some solice in the fact you have the right to ask such a demeaning and repugnant question without some other higher authority nailing your small brain to the coffee table in your doubtless ordinary house in boringsville Britain.

Answer 3

Well, I don't know if this is a legal or a philosophical question:

Legally, the simply is no foundation for barring the unemployed from voting. A series of Constitutional amendments have successively extended universal suffrage, and the Supreme Court has repeatedly supported the idea that the right to participate in the democracy is nearly absolute.

Philosophically, if you don't give the most disadvantaged members of the society the right to vote, you limit their ability to change a system that clearly isn't working for them. This would quickly create a caste system. Serfdom went out in the middle ages. (I'm actually kind of a fan of feudalism, but that's a different debate entirely.)

On a purely practical level, the logistics of determining who's unemployment was "legitimate" or not would be a nightmare.

Answer 4

The courts have already said you can not place unreasonable barriers to a citizens right to vote. This is akin to a poll tax or only allowing landowners to vote.

Anyone who is over 50 could say they are retired. Anyone can find a way to seem disabled. This would place a high burden on poll workers to determine who met your requirements and who didn't. The end result would be arbitrary and would not serve the public good.

A principle of our country is "one person, one vote".

I don't believe in disenfranchising any group of people from the political process.

Answer 5

It gives you more of a reason to vote. If you are unemployed and unable to pay taxes then you need a vote because you want to vote for a party that will help you get employed. These people should vote for labour not the conservatives.lol

Answer 6

How about limiting the vote to people who agree with you? I'm sure you'd prefer that.
We fought long and hard for everyone to be enfranchised. No one has the right to take that away.
In the UK unemployment benefit is taken into account when your tax is calculated, so the unemployed will pay tax on any benefit claimed the year they start work.

Answer 7

and what about women who choose to stay at home to care for children - they contribute ENORMOUSLY to the wellbeing of the nation yet pay no income tax. Some people are permanently unemployed and contribute to the nation by spending their money (which they are given by the rest of us!!!) they go to leisure centres and some do voluntary work. This is all part of our community llife.
I can sympathise with your opinion - I almost agree with you - but think that to put it into force would be far too complicated. Our nation is based upon the rights of everyone over 18 being able to vote and should be encouraged to do so.

Answer 8

Is this a question your genuinely asking to receive answers from perspectives other than your own? Or are you looking for confirmation of your opinion?

Who gets to choose what is "acceptable" & "genuine" circumstances?
In your opinion is paying taxes the only form of contribution to the nation?

You can only change you. Trying to deny others something won't give you more.

Answer 9

You have made a very good case for Daily Mail readers not being allowed to vote.

Answer 10

A Daily Mail reader? Ha ha haha! You must be a Nazi sympathiser then. Are you a holocaust denyier? Do you hate any one who is coloured? Of course you do! It comes with the territory.
Unemployment is NOT a crime, they have just as much right to enter into the democratic proccess as you, even though your feeble excuse for a mind has only two modes of being, violence and sentimentality and nothing in the middle exept bigotted racist hatred. I hope I make myself clear, of would you like me to say what I really mean?