NHS, Death Taxes & Ancient Romans.

Via Tim Worstall's site this heartwarming tale of the 'Envy of the World' (so much so that no other country has sought to emulate it) in action, 18-month wait for hearing aid at 108. At first glance this seems to illustrate the indifference to individual circumstances that is inherent in a top down socialised health system. However if you imagine yourself as a dedicated grasping socialist the reasoning behind this decision is perfectly justifiable. As all socialists know people don't really own their property, they merely hold on sufferance whatever the state permits them to keep. The favourite method of grabbing people's wealth is of course death taxes, nothing pleases the socialist more than robbing recently orphaned children of the cash their parents wished to pass on. So a 108 year old woman is an affront to the socialists sense of propriety, she is hanging around far too long and her death duties are long overdue, outreach workers don't get paid with leaves do they? She is essentially an tax evader holding on to what rightfully should be spent on the occupations advertised in the Guardian jobs section.

On the subject of death taxes here is Edward Gibbon on the inherent tyranny involved, which has existed at least since the time of the Byzantine Empire:

This base and mischievous tyranny invades the security of private life; and the monarch who has indulged the appetite for gain will soon be tempted to anticipate the moment of succession, to interpret wealth as an evidence of guilt, and to proceed from the claims of inheritance, to the power of confiscation.

Ok I admit it is unlikely at this stage that the government are going to start bumping off the rich in order to take their bequests, although now that Lord Levy can't flog peerages anymore they need the money from somewhere, but the basic point about the intrusion and the growth of state greed is apt.