The Guardian, 6 December, highlights research from National Debtline on the impact the capitalism responsible cost of living crisis will have on very many people during the consume, consume, consume period of Christmas.
‘Millions of people will have to make stark financial choices this Christmas including choosing between buying food or presents and be unable to afford to keep their homes warm through the festive season, according to new research by National Debtline.
About 6.5 million people will struggle to heat their homes sufficiently this festive season, while 2.7 million will have to choose between buying food or presents, highlighting the drastic impact the continues to have on household budgets.
More than 14 million consumers are planning to cut back on the number of presents they intend to buy, while 6 million have decided that they can only afford to buy gifts for children this year.’
A figure quoted in the report, if correct, has even more negative implications for those who are turning to credit to pay for the festivities (sic).
It posits that ‘More than 24 million UK adults – 40% of the UK population – plan to use credit to pay for Christmas presents this year.
Of these, 12 million plan to use credit cards, while 4.7 million will turn to buy now, pay later plans to stretch the repayment timeline for Christmas presents over several months.’
Capitalism imposes pressures on the vast majority all year round not just at times of the year when people feel coerced into buying commodities, with money they haven’t got - commodities which have been produced for the purpose of making profits. Greg Lake sang, ‘Hallelujah, Noel be it heaven or hell, The Christmas we get we deserve.’ What no one deserves is the continuation of an exploitative, mass misery causing social system when there is a positive alternative to be had.
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