I'm a huge fan of educational graphics. The complexity of the modern world can be so difficult to decipher, and more often than not, people are divided because they are tricked into misunderstanding fundamental concepts, such as what causes global recessions and world poverty....
I love this latest series of graphics, coupled with simple, bold, easy to understand explanation. It is a perfect example of what I mean.
Enjoy.... :)
GOOD for you! cos it's hardly in the same league is it? They (top earners) manage to get away with it, by continually squeezing wealth out of the middle earners, whilst diverting attention away from it by blaming the bottom of the pile. I'm definitely part of the 98percent :)
Not only the top 10%! When we get estimates for work on our property we always asked for half by cheque and half in cash.
Angela, I checked his artwork out and it's fabulous. In fact I loved his work so much that I wrote a quick note, asking him for some work, experience or careers advice. His kind PA has asked for my CV, which I'd only got in French so I've re-translated it back to the old native tongue and sent it off...I realise it may not lead anywhere, but it's a real boost when someone working for someone you aspire to copy, can be bothered enough to ask for a CV. Thanks for answering my discussion, it inspired me to action and I really appreciate it.
the video is about the USA, where the situation is similar, though a tad more extreme than the UK. We are not far behind though in terms of obscene wealth. I did a bit of research and I think you are comparing different figures. The top 10 percent pay 27 percent of the tax, yes, BUT they also earn 50 percent of the income available, so in comparison actually pay LESS tax than the middle classes. here it is explained better - the conclusion is that the top 10 percent should be paying 50 percent of the tax bill, not 27 percent.
"This is a completely bogus argument its being used in US too by Republicans. It compares percentage of population with percentage tax rather than percentage wealth with percentage tax. If you earn 30% of the wealth you should pay 30% of the total tax take. ie: a fair payment of tax would be everyone contributing the same percentage of their income so that their total contribution worked out the same as their percentage wealth. If the top 1% of earners only earned 1% of the total taxable income the article would make sense and the outrage about paying 30% of the tax take would be valid but they don't earn 1% of income they earn around 50% of total taxable income, so they are getting a good deal only paying 30% of the tax take. The top 1% with all the tax "efficiencies" and legal avoidance can often end up paying almost no tax on their income. Whereas someone even on middle/low incomes pays around 30% of their income in tax.
- Alexander , Aberdeen, Scotland,
Also it should be worth remembering, that the top 10 percent of earners manage to hide a lot of their true income by using offshore accounts and holdings. None of that gets fairly taken into account either and is possibly where the real criminal waste of resources gets hidden.
Clean and clear but it also shows how you can distort the picture to show your particular point of view. The top 10% of people in the UK pay 40% of the total individual tax revenue. (I don't know the figures for the US). Also rich people spend more - they buy bigger houses, cars, clothes, etc. and invest more through the ownership of company shares so the tone of the information is that rich people have too much and this should be given to poor people-this isn't good design!
For good design to save the world, first you need good designers.
I have a friend who would agree with you. His name is David McCandless. His company is called Information is beautiful and you can find him on TED. It's amazing how great graphics put complex information into perspective.