Prejudice linked to Low IQ and Conservatism

And yet research into the average IQs of voters in the 2001 UK general election found:

 

Conservative 103.7

Labour 103

 

 

The problem with the hypothesis that you refer to, and appear to endorse, is that it infers there is some kind of intellectual complexity about left wing ideas. Does it really take a high IQ to muster up taxing the rich and dishing it all out in benefits to buy votes?

Now, now. That's not really fair.

They tax the rich, the middle, and the working poor in order to create a dependent class and then hope they won't realise that they're being bribed with their own money.

It probably takes a special kind of machiavellian intellect to get away with that.

Easy:

a) It's a bad thing

b) It's a good thing

c) It's somewhere in between

 

You see, the Labour Party is a broad church and its membership reflects the views of the electorate so there is no single view on immigration. Again, just like the electorate.

You seem to be saying that grass roots Labour supporter opinion, is no different to the electorates wider opinion on the matter. Well if that is the case, there is no significance in what Labour supporters think and no need to go along to a meeting either. Therefore your response was meaningless.

You seem to be saying that grass roots Labour supporter opinion, is no different to the electorates wider opinion on the matter. Well if that is the case, there is no significance in what Labour supporters think and no need to go along to a meeting either. Therefore your response was meaningless.

At last, it's got through to you. Members of The Labour Party are no different to the electorate of which they are a part. It took a while but well done.

Now, now. That's not really fair.

They tax the rich, the middle, and the working poor in order to create a dependent class and then hope they won't realise that they're being bribed with their own money.

It probably takes a special kind of machiavellian intellect to get away with that.

Don't all governments tax to fund public services?

If memory serves me well it was Mrs Thatcher's government that broke the post war consensus in seeing unemployment rise above 3 million. Didn't she create a dependent class?

Given the many attempts to derail this thread I think it is worth quoting from the research cited by the OP which argues that prejudice is linked to low IQ and Conservatism:

 

"There's no gentle way to put it: People who give in to racism and prejudice may simply be dumb...The research finds that children with low intelligence are more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes as adults...Low-intelligence adults tend to gravitate toward socially conservative ideologies...Those ideologies, in turn, stress hierarchy and resistance to change, attitudes that can contribute to prejudice".

Fi real, innit tho'?

At last, it's got through to you. Members of The Labour Party are no different to the electorate of which they are a part. It took a while but well done.

And yet http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/05/labour-pollsters-advised-party-to-change-on-immigration-and-welfare-in-2010

Now, now. That's not really fair.

They tax the rich, the middle, and the working poor in order to create a dependent class and then hope they won't realise that they're being bribed with their own money.

It probably takes a special kind of machiavellian intellect to get away with that.

Sorry, you're right - I meant "rich" in the left wing sense of the word, i.e. anyone daring to earn an average salary or above (but excluding themselves).

Sorry, you're right - I meant "rich" in the left wing sense of the word, i.e. anyone daring to earn an average salary or above (but excluding themselves).

Ah right. That "rich". Anybody who supports themselves and their family through work. They must surely be punished.

Ah right. That "rich". Anybody who supports themselves and their family through work. They must surely be punished.

Yeah, that's totally the prevailing ideology amongst left wing people and not just nonsense that only exists in your head.

Yeah, that's totally the prevailing ideology amongst left wing people and not just nonsense that only exists in your head.

It's not the left wing followers, it's the leaders. The left wing followers just haven't realised that this is what their leaders are up to.

Do you have a better explanation for setting the tax allowance at well under the income necessary to support oneself and then having to claim benefits to survive?

The personal tax allowance in 2009 was under £6500. That means anybody working full time on minimum wage was paying a thousand or more in income tax and NI. Not to mention all the other taxes which are always ultimately paid by the consumer. Most of those people were also entitled to all manner of benefits. This is nothing more than taking peoples money, scribbling on it "government money, vote for us or you won't get it any more", making them fill in a few forms, and then giving it back like you're doing them a favour. What is that if not bribing people with their own money?

Now the minimum wage will be enough to live on, the income tax threshold will pull minimum wage earners out of income tax completely and I fully expect NI and universal credit to follow. Should all have been done 15 years ago. Obviously the right thing to do and no wisdom in objecting to it.

How can you possibly make a case that the former situation was better for the working poor than the latter? It's ridiculous.

Ah right. That "rich". Anybody who supports themselves and their family through work. They must surely be punished.

It's not the left wing followers, it's the leaders. The left wing followers just haven't realised that this is what their leaders are up to.

Do you have a better explanation for setting the tax allowance at well under the income necessary to support oneself and then having to claim benefits to survive?

 

The personal tax allowance in 2009 was under £6500. That means anybody working full time on minimum wage was paying a thousand or more in income tax and NI. Not to mention all the other taxes which are always ultimately paid by the consumer. Most of those people were also entitled to all manner of benefits. This is nothing more than taking peoples money, scribbling on it "government money, vote for us or you won't get it any more", making them fill in a few forms, and then giving it back like you're doing them a favour. What is that if not bribing people with their own money?

 

Now the minimum wage will be enough to live on, the income tax threshold will pull minimum wage earners out of income tax completely and I fully expect NI and universal credit to follow. Should all have been done 15 years ago. Obviously the right thing to do and no wisdom in objecting to it.

 

How can you possibly make a case that the former situation was better for the working poor than the latter? It's ridiculous.

Excellent analysis