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Politics Today

Legohead

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Does protesting actually work? Has anything ever been changed due to street protests? Genuine question.
 

Jason H

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Does protesting actually work? Has anything ever been changed due to street protests? Genuine question.
Historically, yes (arguably) - e.g. the Chartists, although it took a while.

One could argue the Poll Tax riots hastened the move from the Community Charge to the Council Tax.
 

Legohead

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I can imagine Boris Johnson seeing climate change protestors for example as a load of unwashed crusties who are a minor annoyance rather than him thinking God yeah, they are right and i absolutely MUST do something about climate change and make it a top priority. Therefore although extinction rebellion for example are protesting and highlighting an important point, it will always be ignored and not dealt with due to the dismissive attitudes and lack of engagement from politicians.

So effectively protesting is pointless as it rarely ends in the appropriate actions and changes being made.
 

Jason H

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I can imagine Boris Johnson seeing climate change protestors for example as a load of unwashed crusties who are a minor annoyance rather than him thinking God yeah, they are right and i absolutely MUST do something about climate change and make it a top priority. Therefore although extinction rebellion for example are protesting and highlighting an important point, it will always be ignored and not dealt with due to the dismissive attitudes and lack of engagement from politicians.

So effectively protesting is pointless as it rarely ends in the appropriate actions and changes being made.
I think Extinction Rebellion have failed to take on board that the UK has been towards the forefront of reducing emissions globally, and there's a feeling their message isn't necessarily entirely pro-environment rather anti-capitalist. I'm led to understand some of their leading agitators are people hived off from more general anti-capitalist groups.

Some of their means of protest have left a lot to be desired too.
 

Rosencrantz

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Historically, yes (arguably) - e.g. the Chartists, although it took a while.

One could argue the Poll Tax riots hastened the move from the Community Charge to the Council Tax.
You could argue that the poll tax riots was a factor in hastening the end of Thatcher's rule as well among other things.
 

DB9

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I think Extinction Rebellion have failed to take on board that the UK has been towards the forefront of reducing emissions globally, and there's a feeling their message isn't necessarily entirely pro-environment rather anti-capitalist. I'm led to understand some of their leading agitators are people hived off from more general anti-capitalist groups.

Some of their means of protest have left a lot to be desired too.
Don't you always get the idiots who have their own agenda latching onto the majority of well meaning, decent protesters? In my view I think as a small nation we are taking the lead in making aware of the state of the planet and a need to do something,. Yep of course we can do more but to virtually tell the whole nation they have to change their way of life totally is a big ask. Also as a lot of people say without China, The US, India and Russia doing a lot more what we do will have little affect worldwide but it is good environmental issues are playing a part in this election
 

Oldsmobile-88

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In RaWZ we trust....Amen.
You could argue that the poll tax riots was a factor in hastening the end of Thatcher's rule as well among other things.
They went down like a lead balloon in Scotland before they were introduced in England & Wales.
She was too stubborn to see it was going to be a disaster for the Torys.The writing was then on the wall for Mrs T.
My Rates(as they were called at the time) were going to double under the Poll Tax..Madness to inflict that on the vast majority of ordinary working people.
 

DB9

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They went down like a lead balloon in Scotland before they were introduced in England & Wales.
She was too stubborn to see it was going to be a disaster for the Torys.The writing was then on the wall for Mrs T.
My Rates(as they were called at the time) were going to double under the Poll Tax..Madness to inflict that on the vast majority of ordinary working people.
Remember that time, Scotland felt like they were crapped on and possibly made the Tories a bit of a no no for a while. We were living in a 1 bed flat in Whiddon Valley Barnstaple at the time, Our rates were £245 pa, Poll tax came in suddenly for two of us it went to £320 each!! Just madness, No wonder people got peeved off
 

Oldsmobile-88

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In RaWZ we trust....Amen.
Remember that time, Scotland felt like they were crapped on and possibly made the Tories a bit of a no no for a while. We were living in a 1 bed flat in Whiddon Valley Barnstaple at the time, Our rates were £245 pa, Poll tax came in suddenly for two of us it went to £320 each!! Just madness, No wonder people got peeved off
Add 12%-13% interest rates..A toxic mix.
 

DB9

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Add 12%-13% interest rates..A toxic mix.
Wasn't it Black Monday the rate shot up a few times to 15% on that day alone?
 
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