The rich are getting richer, not a pinko slogan but statistics. “The combined wealth of the 1,000 richest men and women in Britain has risen to record levels in the past year, despite the country’s continuing economic slump.” [The Telegraph]( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/9233605/Sunday-Times-Rich-List-2012-Wealth-of-richest-grows-to-record-levels.html). This was proudly announced recently in its Rich List by The Sunday Times, part of Rupert Murdoch’s [News Corp](http://www.pressenza.com/npermalink/rupert-murdochx-the-uk-hacking-scandal-and-the-power-of-the-media) media empire. Meanwhile “austerity measures” hit the rest of the population, obscene sums of money maintain the arms trade whilst health, education, and basic needs get neglected and more wars in the making lock everybody in a vicious circle of hatred and “defence”.
Given that the Banks have not changed their behaviour one iota and continue to speculate with the money of the “real economy”, having successfully resisted all attempts at regulation, those in the know are investing in gold and art (and perhaps more quietly in the arms trade), or simply moving to off shore tax havens, rather than trusting bank deposits.
**Do we have any reasons to be cheerful? YES!**
The new generation is preparing for another round of Spring actions. The *Indignados* and the Occupy movement are going back to the squares, to the public spaces to continue the project of creating a different system. Their ideas are not yet filtering properly into the mainstream media and politics. They are working against huge odds, but as the crisis deepens, as the forces of neo-fascism and violent groups once more raise their ugly heads in Europe, more are joining and more will want to consider their proposals: all-inclusive, nonviolent, sane.
Many invitations for action are circulating through social media and [YouTube]( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXB4Bx6AGnU). This May 12th and 15th let us not *scream* in horror, but *act* with a smile, in hope.
