Whilst the USA and the UK share economic mismanagement and burgeoning debt, the UK is being moulded to fit some idealised dystopian vision.

Dystopia

Given the nature and behaviour of both English-speaking cultures, the likelihood of achieving dystopia is much higher in the UK than the USA, mostly because the process has already started this side of the pond. Both economies suffer from unbearable debt loads created by economic policies that support bloated state systems, have relatively uncontrolled low-quality migration, and have no solutions to pay for the rising costs of an ageing population.

The economics of political parties aside, the UK is being rebooted behind the scenes, and it feels quite sinister.

The USA has an election in November, so a change of President and cultural shift is still possible there. However, the UK has had a new Prime Minister since July. In this short period, Kier Starmers’ Labour Party has pursued a path based on what I see as the creation of some dystopian world, modelled on a theoretical socialist country, a little like those countries in Scandinavia, with a sprinkling of China, and the former USSR. Since July there has been little evidence to suggest otherwise.

The arrogance of politicians is such, that they rarely recognise when they are intellectually deficient. They think they are superior to the average voter, but unfortunately, the current cabinet is more suited to a soap opera cast than running a country.

For interest, I found this definition from Northeastern University’s Department of English especially prescient.

A dystopian world is an:

“Imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control”

It’s easy to imagine state interference and monitoring provided by corporate supporters, with AI, social media, and the vast arrays of data. Left-wing social media shills quote the 'utopia' of Scandinavia in northern Europe as an idealised model. However, Norway's wealth is mostly derived from carbon-based resources, oil and gas servicing, heavy industries, and seafood. Not to mention that Norway is one of the largest players in the global equity markets via the sovereign wealth fund. This is all good capitalist stuff, but socialist commentators completely ignore this inconvenience.

The logistics of managing countries with small populations is also a very different task politically and economically. The total population of Denmark, Finland, Norway (under 6 million each), and Sweden (just under 11 million), is less than half that of the UK. We are not big, but managing these four relatively low-population countries presents fewer challenges.

The UK Budget – Autumn 2024

As we approach Labour's first budget in 14 years, there has been much media speculation regarding changes post-October 30th. However, realistically it's easier to guess what will not happen. For example, I don't see any measures to encourage private-sector economic growth or to reduce the unaffordable burden of diamond-encrusted public-sector pension schemes. All monetary activities since July have simply focussed on paying back party supporters with pay rises whilst hiring more public-sector workers, along with the re-nationalisation of the rail network.

The disinformation machine has been set to maximum with the likes of the mystical '￡22 billion financial black hole' much of which is related to public sector pay. Ultimately it simply becomes an excuse to increase taxes, as in my guestimate, the indexing of public sector pensions alone would have cost twice this amount courtesy of post-COVID inflation. These 'random' costs remain unfunded. In other words, the black hole is just convenient noise, a magician's deflection (apologies to any skilled magicians) so the pre-planned tax hikes can remain.

The English legal system isn’t what it used to be

More worrying perhaps are the less publicised changes in law. Repealing the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 supports the dystopian model, as the government remains 'committed to protecting freedom of speech on campuses' by removing an Act that supported, free speech on university grounds. Inevitably this will mean allowing the 'right sort' of free speech and since education is the domain of the liberal/left it's not hard to guess which events will be acceptable. The fact the Act was repealed within days of taking office, provides an insight into the next 5 years. It's all very Tony Blair Part II.

The very public issues of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are another concern since the trajectory of the criminal justice system bears the subjective influence of the current Justice Minister. The fact prisoners have been released in error, or that heinous career criminals are being swapped with those who are not a societal danger, should sound alarm bells for normal people across the UK. Oddly, those committing online offences or merely attending protests, have entered guilty pleas and then imprisoned. Meanwhile, Labour Councillor Ricky Jones who was filmed calling for the far right to have their throats cut and to be disposed of 'encouraging murder', entered a plea of not guilty to 'encouraging violent disorder' at a pre-trial hearing (I am assuming on legal advice hoping the issue would get forgotten or morph into a lesser charge). As SKY News stated, 'Defence barrister Hossein Zahir KC said Jones accepted the words had been spoken, but denied knowing the offence of violent disorder would be committed'.

I'm sure people posting on Instagram, or attending protests, didn't expect to be imprisoned for an offence either.

Let's see what happens in January 2025 when Jones’s case goes to trial.

The list of legal disparities is too long to discuss here, but this is a worrying trend entirely in line with the UK’s dystopian (five-year) future.

The Chancellor

The much pushed 'financial black hole' has been blamed for all sorts of things including the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payment support to those living on modest state pensions. However, given their actions, the Labour Party must have only ever planned to attack the vast majority who did not vote for them during the election. Again, there is simply no evidence to the contrary.

Non-Labour supporters such as retired professionals from the private sector, entrepreneurs, etc, along with those ‘non-workers’ like buy-to-let landlords and people living off passive income, are all likely targets of a budget cash grab.

The Chancellor Ms Reeves' inability to manage a parliamentary credit card (she couldn't demonstrate genuine spending and had the card withdrawn in 2015) doesn't bode well, plus she seems to have adjusted her CV and economics credentials. But there is no hiding the basics, this is just a borrow-and-spend government, because they have nothing else to offer. The Labour cabinet has little time in the commercial world and has already started to appease their union paymasters despite the mystical ‘black hole’.

It has been reported that Ms Reeves is an advocate of the economist Joan Robinson (deceased) who was a fan of Karl Marxian economics, having also visited China multiple times, and North Korea. This isn't great news, but it fits the UK's future dystopian road map quite well.

Given the likely increase in tax on the private sector, whilst throwing money at the public sector, Reeves is attempting to fiddle with the way government debt is accounted for, so she can borrow more. Sadly, spending (not investing) billions on pay increases and vanity projects like carbon capture, will do nothing for the UK economy. It simply piles on more debt as the exodus of the wealthy continues.

An example of bias in favour of state employees is the legislation introduced in 2013 to protect Starmer from tax on his pension savings. Ironic, given Labour's statement in 2023 "Labour thinks it's wrong that the richest 1% get a tax break in the Budget which is why we voted against it." referring to the removal of pension restrictions. 'Better thee than me' is a potential trait of our dystopian future.

The final pieces of the dystopian puzzle

There are seemingly fewer and fewer reasons for starting, pursuing, or ending employment, or self-employment, in the UK's private sector. You'll merely be funding public sector workers' retirement (twice) and most migrants who are net costs. Why bother? Why own assets in an economy which will punish you for being a 'non-worker' living off passive income having paid a great deal of tax along the way? Meanwhile, the public sector worker accrues unjustifiable perks that have derailed the UK economy, making UK economic prosperity almost impossible.?

Amusingly the same people who are pro-Europe have remained silent on the issue of EU countries rolling out the fiscal red carpet to Britain’s wealthy The second-largest exodus of wealthy across the globe. The Milan income tax cap has attracted over 2,800 non-Italians alone.

I’m genuinely expecting a reduction in voter age to capture the opinions imparted by the liberal/left educators, alongside giving voting rights to non-nationals. The latter was discussed in the USA by Biden’s government. These moves favour the political left so it’s likely that at least one of them is pursued in the UK during this government's tenure.

Vehicle tax will probably be replaced by a tax based on mileage driven, effectively a front for enabling the tracking of vehicles, which in turn leads to other dystopian 'benefits' including the 15-minute city. All in the guise (and misinformation) of saving the planet rather than an additional means of monitoring control.

ID cards advocated by Blair can lead to a social credit system which is another level of control in the dystopian model. They will be sold as a benefit of course. Non-compliance by citizens could be punished by the withdrawal of services and benefits, provided by such ID cards.

All the above can be connected to enable the foundations for an anti-carbon agenda, and overall citizen control, regardless of its validity. After all, Blair philosophically thought control led to freedom.

Starmer is making noises that reparations for participating in slavery. Although the UK can’t afford significant sums, some payment is possible. Britain’s part in patrolling the high seas ending the slave trade, and the fact that millions of Africans were enslaved in Africa, being ignored.

Given the UK’s economic malaise and state of cultural flux, sane people would be surprised that DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs) now forces keepers of chickens and other captive birds at home to register them individually. A fine use of financial resources.

The principal saviour is that Starmer and Labour are the least popular government in a generation. However, protagonists like Farage are unpredictable, and Reform is the reason Labour govern today.

The Labour Party has until July 2029 to turn things around, with success likely to lead to the final execution of full-on dystopia.

S M Brawn Oct 24

Opinions are my own

#Future

#Entrepreneurship

#Economy

#motivation