[neutrino]

I suspect you'll see both come to pass. When people start being really uncomfortable, they become willing to do almost anything to improve things - and that means voting for more goodies and higher taxes.

Higher taxes in England resulted in the very brain drain you refer to.

Conservatism is, I think, more apt to thrive in a land with a strong middle class than in one with a great many poor and angry people.

[lelio]

Higher taxes in England resulted in the very brain drain you refer to.

Odd that you should bring that up -- I'm a product of that. My parents moved over here in the late 60's in the brain drain, along with thousands of other English engineers. Which is why you run into so many 60 year old ones here.

While the high taxes had a lot to do with it, I was under the impression that the socialist policies were more inclined for graft related work (ie Minister of Sillywalks) than trying to promote actual business. Well that and the US was the place to go back then.

I just hope I won't have to do the same.