This was posted as a comment on my blog by some using the name Juggzy Malone. It seems original and as poetry works for me I thought it worth reposting:
The law doth punish feral youth
Who take to the streets to steal the goose
But lets the greater thieving pass;
The tax avoidance by the monied class.
Thanks for reading this post.
You can share this post on social media of your choice by clicking these icons:
You can subscribe to this blog's daily email here.
And if you would like to support this blog you can, here:
I’m sure you will now that this is a re-play of the famous 18th century ditty about the (savage and unjust) enclosures, which Anne Pettifor has used to sum up the current replay (“first as tragedy, then as farce”? seems like a tragedy both times to me)
They hang the man, and flog the woman
That steals the goose from off the common;
But the greater criminal they let loose,
Who steals the common from the goose.
“Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose!” indeed.
Ah….now I know
Thanks
Yes, that’s exactly what it is. I felt that the sentiments applied throughout history by various versions of this ditty (it’s not just the 18th century which felt that inequality before law was something worth getting het up about) were especially relevant at the moment, and the ditty could do with updating.
Here’s a link to several of the versions:
http://www.wealthandwant.com/docs/Goose_commons.htm
You’ll see that there’s a 17th century version related to the enclosures which actually advocates fighting back.
In summary, ‘stealing the goose from the commons’ (I don’t refer to the commons because tax income is the modern equivalent) is a short hand for economic injustice throughout history.
Damn, I lost my last comment. Yes, it’s an update of that 17th century rhyme which expresses thoughts that are relevant to now.
Steal a little and throw you jail,
Steal a lot and they make you king…” words from a song by Bob Dylan
Which?
Don’t think I know it (but that I only know a coupole of Dylam albums well…)
How apt….. *Sweatheart like you* Bob Dylan
All of which goes to prove that you have been right (as in correct) all along Richard.
But will the “politicians” finally take action and address the malaise in our society?
Of course not, they’re only in positions of power because of that malaise itself. They aren’t going to fix it, as far as they’re concerned it isn’t broken.
BB
Listening to our venal politicians such as Gove, Blears etc. pontificating reminded me of another verse in the poem.
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 rich remain strong whilst the poor are weak
But stealing is an example which others may seek.
Then the game is up when the rich ultimately learn
Steal from the weak and they will steal all you earn.
(With no apologies to the Isle of Man government)
A point of interest. Any dubious activities of the IOM Gov`t not withstanding,were any U.K.tax payers in the Premier Action Group knowingly investing offshore with possibly the intention of tax avoidance from it being a low tax jurisdiction? Quel domage.
It is possible to learn from experience and to seek to prevent others making the same mistake that you did
Perhaps you have never made a mistake
Everyone else on earth has
The wise learn from them
They even change their minds
@Brian
This innuendo/allegation is old hat and often used by those attempting to malign PSG members.
FACTS:
* Members of the Premier Shareholders Group are all Spanish tax payers who dutifully file an annual tax return to the Spanish Hacienda. None of our members are tax dodgers/evaders/avoiders and any suggestion that they are will be vigorously defended; if necessary by recourse to litigation.
* The Premier Low Risk Fund plc is not a tax avoidance vehicle. But it is a fund that was mis-sold to hundreds of pensioners by various fraudulent means — including trading as “low risk” after a high court judge ruled that the type of investment strategy as pursued by Premier is “high risk” and to call it otherwise is to recklessly mislead the public.
The FSA has no jurisdiction on the Isle of Man; an expediency that allows the island’s government to do as it pleases (which it invariably does) including allowing the Premier Fund to remain in business.
NEVER invest/bank a single cent on this wretched island.
Do you think that instead of speculation as to causes, followed by pontification, a more scientific approach could be to sit the perpetrators down with a team of psychologist, sociologists and criminologists and list their backgrounds and attitudes?
Well that depends on what you call science
And your faith in reasoning of the sort your describe without interpretation
Another good one is Alexander Pope’s explanation of the old saw “crime never pays”
“Treason never prospers, for good reason
that once it prospers, none dare call it treason”
Amazingly, thanks to one great journalist at the Grauniad, the traitorous conduct of the Murdochs & their many fiends in high places did come to light.