Gaming Saving The UK Games Industry

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TIGA da dadada da da da. Did they drive their black transit with the big red stripe down to downing street and storm out. They definately look like a crack unit of top hardcore gamers.

 

Reading that gave me a sinking feeling, not unlike being in a desert with no food and water, sun beating down and cooking my skin, days later being pecked apart by vultures. There is something wrong when foreigners can be on our soil picking meat from the bones of our dying carcass. Bit extreme? Maybe. But it's just the feeling.

 

I've always wanted to quote a south park song in an article!

Sheila: Times have changed
Our kids are getting worse
They won't obey their parents
They just want to fart and curse!
Sharon: Should we blame the government?
Liane: Or blame society?
Dads: Or should we blame the images on TV?
Sheila: No, blame Canada
Everyone: Blame Canada
Sheila: With all their beady little eyes
And flapping heads so full of lies
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Sheila: We need to form a full assault
Everyone: It's Canada's fault!
Sharon: Don't blame me
For my son Stan
He saw the darn cartoon
And now he's off to join the Klan!
Liane: And my boy Eric once
Had my picture on his shelf
But now when I see him he tells me to **** myself!
Sheila: Well, blame Canada
Everyone: Blame Canada
Sheila: It seems that everything's gone wrong
Since Canada came along
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Copy Guy: They're not even a real country anyway
Ms. McCormick: My son could've been a doctor or a lawyer rich and true,
Instead he burned up like a piggy on the barbecue
Everyone: Should we blame the matches?
Should we blame the fire?
Or the doctors who allowed him to expire?
Sheila: heck no!
Everyone: Blame Canada
Blame Canada
Sheila: With all their hockey hullabaloo
Liane: And that bitch Anne Murray too
Everyone: Blame Canada
Shame on Canada
For...
The smut we must stop
The trash we must bash
The Laughter and fun
Must all be undone
We must blame them and cause a fuss
Before somebody thinks of blaming uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus!!!!

 

This issue of countries competing over tax breaks to attract businesses is only the tip of the iceberg. It shows up a really serious danger in the capitalist system (which I mean in the pure sense of businesses being owned by the person providing the investment capital rather than by the employees or the state).

What happens when governments can no longer afford to entice business in by redirecting taxes from elsewhere? The next stage is that governments have to compete by extending working hours, lowering the minimum wage, reducing employee protection and so forth. Before too long populations are put back into the conditions of effective economic slavery that characterised 19th century Britain, with business owners essentially treating employees as they please and 'starving them back to work' if they take any kind of united action.

The reason why we got away from the 19th century model in Britain was essentially because public uprisings and industrial action led to universal suffrage which led to politicians having to woo the employee/worker vote with sensible pro-employee legislation. However, it seems to me that what we have been seeing over the last few decades, and continue to see, is a process where the capital owner becomes so internationally mobile that it can effectively slip the democratic leash.

Obviously the traditional state-ownership & planned economy model which is generally proposed as an alternative is also pretty duff -- I don't really want to live under a totalitarian regime which is where traditional socialism always seems to end up. However, there must be a better way.

This sort of thing keeps me up at night...

 

jhng, nice post. It bothers me too.

 

Great idea, we should introduce it as soon as Britain's got some money to spare, say, around 2050?

 

This government needs to embrace one thing.
"Made in Britain"
If a product has and is Made in Britain they need to give some relief to these manufacturers, developers etc. as it's only strengthening the economy, no matter what it is.
Britain has a long standing history in game making and it would be such a shame to lose this to cheaper alternative producers. You get what you pay for.

 

To those posting comments that have bought into the 'bankrupt Britain' story, here is some facts to provide perspective. Very much required reading in these times: http://johannhari.com/2011/03/29/the-biggest-lie-in-british-politics

 

Yeah, blame Canada...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYMJnO9LBQ

 

With cost of living and running a company sky high in this country there is always going to be someone outside the UK that can make the product at a lower cost. It is the same problem in most industries not just gamng. I dont see little tax breaks making any difference if a game design company has got to the point where it needs to make significant reductions in overheads......