Dear Editor,

“An imbalance between the rich and the poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.”

– Greek philosopher Plutarch (AD c46-120)

The privileged classes in our time, predatory capitalists of the 21st century, have not changed one bit and still continue to oppress and exploit the poor and working class of our world.

When we let them.

Today, they purchase up all the land and properties and then jack up the rents so many are forced onto the streets.

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It actually started back with the land enclosures of the 17th century and capitalism.

The commons were forced off of their lands and had to move to the cities, to slave away in the “satanic mills,” as they were called back then.

They lived in the slums that Charles Dickens wrote about in his books, in terrible squalor and deprivation.

Although things have improved for the majority of us today, there still is that pressure by the predatory capitalists to make their riches off the backs of the poor.

Some things never change!

And, it is only because of the efforts of certain government to restrict these capitalists, that we’re not back where the poor were in the slums of London in the 17th century.

Thank you NDP for helping out the poor and needy of our B.C. province in these tough times.

But don’t think for a moment that the greedy capitalists won’t try to drive you out onto the streets; because they will.

Profits and getting rich is all they care about.

That’s what “class warfare” is about.

And, it’s our fight!

John E. McKenzie, Maple Ridge

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