政壇：睇社論學英文：貧富懸殊兩極化 社會怨氣瀕爆發

日前有兩項調查發表，再一次刻畫香港既富裕又貧窮、既快樂又痛苦的真相。這邊廂，七成港人認為現時生活痛苦，痛苦之源來自生活壓力、居住問題與憂慮退休欠缺保障。另一邊廂，去年香港百萬富翁人數再創新高，達到六十萬一千人，大多數富翁透過投資物業及股票致富，顯示香港人無論是富裕還是貧窮，快樂還是痛苦，皆與樓市有關。

樹仁大學進行的港人生活困苦度調查顯示，近五成五受訪者認為現時生活頗痛苦，一成六認為非常痛苦，在六大民生問題之中，住屋問題最令人痛苦。如按家庭月入劃分，一萬至二萬元的家庭生活最痛苦，原因是此一族群月入低於全港家庭中位數，卻高於一般貧窮線的定義，一方面無緣享受政府福利，另一方面要面對嚴峻生活壓力。

香港經濟結構轉由投機炒賣主導，實際是塘水滾塘魚，財富高度集中，並沒有其他生財致富之道。正如另一項調查顯示，去年進身百萬富翁行列者有三成二靠炒樓累積財富，七成八擁有物業，他們的生活滿意度平均有七點一分，不少人已接近滿分的十分，對比七成港人感到生活痛苦，反映社會貧富不均之下，經濟紅利已成為少數人的專利。

With the extreme disparity between the rich and the poor,social grievance is near the flash point

The findings of two surveys published a few days ago revealed once again the polarized lives in Hong Kong: rich and poor, happy and dreadful. On one hand, 70% of Hong Kong people claim they are leading a horrendous life, of which the causes are livelihood pressure, housing problem and the lack of retirement protection. On the other hand, the number of millionaires in the city set a new record last year by hitting 601,000. Most of them got rich by investing in real estates and stocks, showing that Hong Kong people's wealth, poverty, happiness and pain are all related to the property market.

Shue Yan University conducted a survey on the degree of pain Hong Kong people felt in their daily lives. 55% of the interviewees thought they were leading a fairly miserable life, whereas 16% believed theirs were very wretched. Among the 6 major livelihood issues, housing was the most painful problem according to them. If we look at the monthly income ranges, households that are making $10,000 to $20,000 are the most forsaken. The reason is their monthly income is below the median of Hong Kong household incomes, yet above the poverty line. Government welfare is unfortunately just out of their reach, so they are marooned in their lonely fight against life's predicaments.

The economic structure of Hong Kong is now led by speculation. In reality, those that mutually profit from one another are an inbred ilk. Such a closed pool of the wealthy makes it virtually impossible for anyone else to get rich. As the other survey indicates, two-thirds of last year's new millionaires have accumulated their wealth by speculating in real estate. 78% of them possess their own properties, and their rate of satisfaction with life averages 7.1 points. Many of them even score a rate close to the full 10 points. On the contrary, 70% of Hong Kong people lead a dreadful life, reflecting that, with the huge wealth gap in society, economic bonuses are monopolized by a small group of people.

重要生字

extreme disparity between the rich and the poor

貧富懸殊

near the flash point

瀕臨爆發

those that mutually profit from one another are an inbred ilk

塘水滾塘魚