On 17/05/2016 11:55, Adrian wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2016 11:44:31 +0100, Nightjar cpb wrote:

I didn't realise that you were a closet Marxist. I have always viewed
myself as a paternalistic capitalist, so my solution would be to
improve the lot of the poorest, so that none fell below the poverty
line.

But if the poverty line is defined as the percentage of median
income...

It is a moving target, but that doesn't mean it isn't something we
should try to achieve.

Oh, sure. But I just don't think it's the most useful measure of poverty
- even if it is the easiest.


None of the definitions of poverty are without problems of some type.
However, in 2009 the Joseph Rowntree foundation compared the 60% median
income measure to the actual income that would allow families to enjoy a
minimum socially acceptable standard of living. Their finding was that,
with few exceptions, the income needed was a little above the 60% median
income. So it probably is a fairly good guideline to use in the UK.

--
Colin Bignell

"Nightjar cpb.me.uk" "insert my surname here wrote in message
...
On 17/05/2016 11:55, Adrian wrote:
On Tue, 17 May 2016 11:44:31 +0100, Nightjar cpb wrote:

I didn't realise that you were a closet Marxist. I have always viewed
myself as a paternalistic capitalist, so my solution would be to
improve the lot of the poorest, so that none fell below the poverty
line.

But if the poverty line is defined as the percentage of median
income...

It is a moving target, but that doesn't mean it isn't something we
should try to achieve.

Oh, sure. But I just don't think it's the most useful measure of poverty
- even if it is the easiest.


None of the definitions of poverty are without problems of some type.
However, in 2009 the Joseph Rowntree foundation compared the 60% median
income measure to the actual income that would allow families to enjoy a
minimum socially acceptable standard of living.

No such animal.

Their finding was that, with few exceptions, the income needed was a
little above the 60% median income.

Then the 'finding' was complete bull****.

So it probably is a fairly good guideline to use in the UK.

Like hell it is.