Bullying Society?

Question

I feel that those of us ‘common people’ (by this I mean those of us who are not the ‘fat cats’ or the ‘big players’) are being taken advantage of. For example I feel that the government make decisions and implement them whether ‘we’ like it or not. They bully us with fines and cameras while not providing us with value for money while prices continue to rise. They can increase the congestion charge however much they like, yea they’ll receive scrutiny but the price will still rise anyway.

Lately I heard that certain banks are planning on charging customers for keeping their money in the bank! I didn’t hear the full story properly as it was on the radio but I think this is very unfair. One of the free things we have here (UK) is banking and the big bosses have spotted a new way to make extra cash.

Do our opinions matter?

What’s next?

Answer 1

Push people too far and they will rise up, think it's going to happen soon. Think of the Poll Tax riots.

Answer 2

The 'little man' does count but he chooses rarely to vote these days. The answers to this question (and many similar ones on YA) is to vote at the general election - and/or local elections. You cannot complain about something if you couldn't be bothered to vote, explaining that it won't make any difference. (I don't mean you personally!!) When a government has a large majority and there is no credible opposition, these things happen, even when probably only a third of the population voted them in.
As for the banks, find a bank which won't charge you for having a current account. The larger banks make most of their billions out of corporate clients and deals. The 'little man' is at best an irritation.

Answer 3

We all have a choice in which banks we use, there are more banks than the famous five.
We can very easily remove these " fat cats " by voting them out
We can refuse to pay unfair fines.
We can refuse to pay the congestion charge.
Have you never heard of the expression "if you don't stand up for yourself then no-one else will.
Most people will do none of these things.

No our opinions do not matter unless it is near a General Election.

Answer 4

people seem to forget how much power we actually have if we chose to use it. remember the petrol strike a few years ago? if banks want to start charging us why don't we all boycott the first bank to do so, they'll soon change thier mind when people start leaving in droves.
also with government desicions, if we protest enough and in large enough numbers we can get them to change their minds.
the recent protest about congestion charges won't work because it only affects one part of the country at the moment, so the protestors are in the minority, but other councils are seriously looking into it, so if they decide to go ahead in other cities the answer is: for one week no one drives a vehicle into these areas, drive your car to the boundary and then walk the rest. again this will hit them in the pocket so they'll either reduce the charges or cancel it altogether.
as for speeding camerAs, this is a no brainer. DON'T SPEED.

Answer 5

I take it you are old enough yo remember the poll tax riots , this was only about one issue and one tax , the 'common people' said no to poll tax. Tony Blair has pushed through more hidden taxes and knee jerk laws that affect the 'common people', he has to be the worst prime minister of all time , his party were always complaining about tory sleaze but lets look at his parties record , Blunket , Presscott for example both had affairs , which I don't have a problem with , but there party line was"it's a private matter" but when a MP from an other party had affairs all you heard from Labour(Presscott inparticuler ) was "resign".
Cash for honnors , need I say more!
Did you see on the news the funeral of a soldier and his little girl asking for her daddy , and what was Tony Blair doing while this soldier was being buried? , he was entertaining Shailpa because someone hurt her feelings on big brother , Tony Blair sent the soldier and many others to their deaths , he has not been to one single funeral of any soldier killed in Iraq , I could go on ,all he is intreasted in trying to make himself look good , he has made the same mistake as Maggie Thatcher , he has surrounded himself with brown nose yes men and anybody that does not agree with him is pushed out.
sorry for going on but this is the sort of question that gets me going as I feel strongly about goverment bullying and the fact that this goverment does not care about the 'common peoples' opinion(plus I'm listening to Morrisey at the moment), this is in my opinion the best question I've come across on this site.

Answer 6

The banks have been doing this in Australia for almost 20 years, I think. Welfare groups had a lot to say and the banks started special accounts for pensioners that didn't have the fees so maybe the small person isn't always totally ignored. The only way to avoid getting picked on is to get big, though.

Answer 7

In the UK the government get in by majority vote and they can't have a referendum on everything. The banks run the country. You can't do a great deal there except buy one share in each major bank and turn up at the shareholders meeting and question their policy. I do expect you to return your dividend each year though. Banking is never really free - they use your money ten times over before it hits your account

Answer 8

Okay brother, let's start the revolution. As for banks charging to keepyour money, we can soon resolve that by lightening the load at the banks.

Answer 9

This + any goverment do not give monkeys once they are elected rember the facist Maggie Thatcher +her polocies to destroy the working class.Blair is a soft version,do not mention the word socialism near a "labour" mp.

Answer 10

whats next is when the government take all your wages and give you how much they think you need. We need to stop voting in these despots.

War is peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength