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Thursday 22 February 2024

Sitting by the window



But the incomprehensible part of the business is that it was observed that useful people, and people who had really learnt something, went away in ever-increasing numbers to Switzerland, to England, to America, in which countries Socialism has not succeeded in getting itself established. Architects, engineers, chemists, doctors, teachers, managers of works and mills, and all kinds of skilled workmen, emigrated in shoals.

Eugen Richter - Pictures of the Socialistic Future (1893)


Woke up to heavy rain and grey skies this morning. Here I am sitting by the window wondering how things will work out in the long term. Over coming decades it is easy to imagine significant numbers of people leaving the UK for a better climate because our winters can be so tedious.

Especially people with relatives or close friends in warmer countries. Or less crowded and more relaxed countries where official nagging is toned down and even cities are less horrible than ours. Significant numbers of people have always tended to be internationally mobile, but who knows how far that could go? 

With a Starmer government added to a poor climate and incompetent administration, we could see the beginnings of a long-term exodus.

3 comments:

DiscoveredJoys said...

Unfortunately the Great Exodus will be followed hard on the heels by the Great Bureaucracy. Eventually there will be no safe place.

I recall from my working days that a colleague intended to retire to France. He has not so far done so. Strange that.

The Americans, who know a bit about living in troubled times, have a saying "Shelter in Place" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelter-in-place). This has become more generalised than the original response to nuclear or biological attack.

How lucky do you feel?

Sam Vega said...

The long-term plan seems to have something to do with evening things out. Influential important people don't like things to be better for some and worse for others, so bright people going away will make overseas better, while we import unskilled criminals to degrade the UK. When we are all living like reasonably affluent Africans, we will have removed all sources of envy and conflict.

A K Haart said...

DJ - two chaps I knew at work both intended to retire to France. Both did, but one died when he fell downstairs while drunk and the other was a recluse, who wouldn't open the door to anyone. I think you are right though, eventually there will be no safe place.

Sam - I'm sure that's the long-term plan and reasonably affluent Africans is the standard they are aiming at. This standard won't even cope with demographic changes, but that may be seen as acceptable collateral damage.