5/02/2012

Wage hike = inflation, salary increment no inflation



The workers are scratching their heads again. Why wage hike will lead to inflation and salary increment will not? Very simple. The answer was given in the ST a few days ago. Singapore’s inflation rate hit a high of 5.2%. But this inflation rate will not affect the workers because hor, it only affects the rich who buy expensive cars and pay high COEs or expensive multi million properties. The inflation is only at the high end. There is no inflation at the low end as workers did not buy these big ticket items, or at least workers are not affected. Heng ah!

But when there is a wage hike, all the workers will be having a spending spree at their favourite food courts or hawker centres, and the prices of food will shoot up, leading to high inflation. Some will spend like a king in Batam, Bintan and JB. Now I am scratching my head also. This logic sounds right or not?

16 comments:

Veritas said...

Hi RB

Without knowing it, many blogs in SG has converge more and more to Marxist concept of class struggle. While the situation of globalize world in far different from Marx's time of sovereign industrializing economy, many of his concepts is still applicable.

I suggest intellect in SG go read Karl Marx. It is a very maligned book. My eyes are open after my dabbling with Marx's ideal. I may not be agree to everything but I do not deny that that it give me a lot of intellectual breath.

My blogs and my writings contains tinge of Socialist ideas that I hope to make my readers think further.

What I am seeing is that bloggers now in SG are starting to be awaken to the idea of class struggle without knowing that Marx has already elucidate them in this work.

Marx also predict that at the end stage of capitalism, intellects (aka blogger in SG context) will awaken the class consciousness of the ignorant people. When people are aware of the kleptocracy and their means of stealing, we can then overthrow the old order and build a just society.

I firmly believe that the study of Marx will pick up in few years time.

Veritas said...

Today, PAP has fooled people believing that reading socialism = communism in North Korea. In fact, Socialism comes in many favor.

What wicked of LKY is during the 50-60s, he locked up Lim Ching Siong, a proponent of democratic socialism using the pretext that he is a communist.

Today, the Democratic Socialist State like Nordic Europe, Germany, France, Switzerland are the most advance in the world.

If Lim Ching Siong is our PM instead of LKY, Singaporeans today would be far better in standards of living.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Hong Kong (the most pumpimg awesome place on the planet) has a new magazine, which is definitely not aligned with Marx -- neither Karl nor Groucho and his brothers

Capitalism.Hk. Hmm..I wonder if they are looking for contributors? ;-)

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

P.S. For those who are confused and made more confused by getting foundational ideas second hand, I suggest you read the two great works of comedy Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto.

Read and understand the comic relief.

"Workers of the world -- DELIGHT!" ;-)

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Read them during PS101. So long ago.

We have reached the stage called Dictatorship of the Proletariate, ie the workers, or the pigs, took control of everything they never owned. It is happening in America and Europe as well, when the workers, now called CEOs and top management, have taken over the organisations from the real owners, and robbing the organisations for themselves.


This is the end game of communism in the guise of capitalism.

Anonymous said...

Guys,

Cut out the hegelian dialectics

The powers that be are pitting us against each other

All i ask n want is some fair play and if the powers that be is going to f%*k me in the ass, at least have the decency to give me a reach around.

Alas the extractive elites are just too nasty!

Well i guess its time to sharpen the pitch forks

Political Bengster

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

redbean, Please lah. You and I are old cocks. My suggestion to read comedy is to those young buggers with stars in their eyes and pussy on their minds.

@political bengster

Helgian dialects (aka "kopi tiam chit chat" is the foundation of great comedy because of its ability to fuck up the mind with confusion: thesis, anti-thesis...and voila...synthesis.

No drugs required. Just engage others next time you're in a kopi tiam, and you'll be practicing Hegel's dark art.

BTW no capitalist or Marxist can ever get absolute corrupt power without the aid of The State.

The State IS THE MAIN PROBLEM, not the ideologies themselves. If the state is controlled by a bunch of absolute power brokers -- who have the "authority" to tax to fund any policy the elites invent, you have A BIG PROBLEM -- ABSOLUTE POWER is a big problem.

You and I can differ in our political and economic views. Although the discourse gets heated, no one's will or personal power is usurped.

But if any of those views are backed up by The State and its courts, laws and law enforcement, then those particular views can BE LEGALLY FORCED on the others, against their will, as is often the case.

Anonymous said...

The cocky politicians from Pappie assmebly men to ministers really talk shit and with fork tongue. When Mr. Lim Chong Yah suggested increasing workers salary every one of the ministers and assemblymen without fail have all kinds of lunatic logics that it is not tenable. Just look at how they pay themselves sinful salaries by the millions and justify it because they have talent. Yes, they are talented with burdening the people with more and more higher taxes. With more and ever higher COEs, ERPs, GSTs, higher petrol tax, higher PUB bills and many other indirect taxes. They claim it is through their talent that they engendered higher productivity. But what kind of productivity is that. It is just plain robbery, robbing the people. With this they claim they have produced higher GDP and therefore they are entitled to sinful salaries and ridiculous bonuses. They choose to ignore the fact that it is because of their horrendous high salaries and unreasonable taxes that is causing inflation and high cost of living. They are living in wealth and splendour but the large majority of the people must continue to suffer. Do they have any conscience?
SG.

Anonymous said...

Yes the state is the problem ...
The smallest minority is yourself ?

Having read you guys... Veritas , roast beef n you, has been a real eye opener n education for this ah beng ...

Alas the more I understand the more shitty I feel !

How I wished I took the blue pill instead of the red ...

Let me be the ignorant ah beng again :(

Bengster

Anonymous said...

Chill bro ... Don't end up like me . Suffering from alienation .

Sometimes I feel my existence is somewhat like a gulag

Bengster

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Haha Bengster,

Nice to have you chatting and a different perspective of things.

Anonymous said...

Hi RB,
It’s been a pleasure reading your blog and the commentators like @ Veritas and @ Matilah

The more I understand the more alienated I feel in my own country :(

I guess your blog is like a sanctuary for me reading up like minded people … it does help with my alienation :)

An eye opener is an understatement! After further reading up on the points/reasons being discussed in this blog

It’s like waking up from a nightmare to find out your parents are actually your grandparents

And your cool and doting elder sister is your Mom!

Even more langar! The best sex in your life/GF is your half sister and her loser Dad is the long lost biological Father!

Give me back my ignorance! :( :)
Don’t noe to laugh or cry sometimes

@ Veritas
Marx and Smith are the toss of the same coin … they are extractive elitist ideologues of the establishment. You should check out The Hegelian Principle ….

Or American Babylon - Rise and Fall , it’s from a Christian perceptive but still a good read
http://www.redmoonrising.com/AmericanBabylon/ABindex.htm



@ Matilah
Damn! I hate it when that bitch is right sometimes

Ayn Rand – Create Criminals

“The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws”

She really makes sense sometimes...It’s just that I cannot accept her “Greed is good” Morality and then went on to F$%K her pupil’s husband. At least she practices what she preaches ….
Like most Wall Street people who lives and breathes by her creed …. But it’s just not for me

Are we All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace?
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/all-watched-over-by-machines-of-loving-grace/


No…I m but a feeling machine that happens to dream… that’s all

Your alienated student
Political Imprisoned Bengster

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Bengster,

Think you are hallucinating. Becareful what Matilah offers you to drink. But don't worry, when you regain your composure your parents will still be your parents, your wife still your wife, and everything will be normal: )

Anonymous said...

Dear RB,

Some Altruism really does help ... Too bad our elites thinks its a liability

No worries ... i m feeling better to know there are people speaking out for us "Have Nots"

I will pick myself up and solider on!

Thanks to RB and the Guys

Bengster

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@ redbean -- wow! Slandering my character...but in a humorous (epic fail) way. Nice try. Next time, do your worst.

@ Bengster

Ayn Rand -- either love her stuff or hate it. I first encountered her work in school during my HSC years. We formed a sort of "Ayn Rand" talking cock group in school. Young punks ;-)

Anyway, in the mid 1990's early 2000's I read her again, these times critically. In fact in the mid 2000's I took a break from my hectic schedule at Soi Cowboy in Lucious Bang-cock to take a 4 week break in Perth to really read her, notably Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, this time super critically. I got on the Objectivist forums to do battle with both pro and anti Rand Luddites and devotees.

Personally, I can't stand "Randroids" -- they follow her every word like fundamentalists do so when reading their scriptures, failing to grasp the essence, but are adept at the literal translation and interpretation of the works.

BTW the BBC's "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace" is one of the best doco series I've had the pleasure of watching. Another favourite of creator Adam Curtis, is "The Trap". If you haven't seen it, I urge you to do so.

Finally, a family-friendly activity I'd love to see on the streets of Singapore. Ah, how happy are the children!

Anonymous said...

@ Matilah,

Adam is god!

The Trap was the one that made me realize my parents was my Grandparents!

And The power of nightmares ... i found out my doting sis was my Mum!

I have seen every doc he has made

One of my Fav is "It felt like Kiss" Trippy! and Educational!

http://archive.org/details/AdamCurtis-ItFeltLikeAKiss

http://archive.org/search.php?query=Adam%20Curtis%20AND%20collection%3Aopensource_movies

His whole collection is hosted above, Art House Doc don't get better then this

Required viewing by one and all ... my learning curve exploded watching his docs .... Conspiratorial History

Regards
Bengster

View with Caution as it is known to be bad for your mental health
I was Mind F@#Ked by it