There’s been lots of discussion on the
introduction of an unconditional basic income across European countries
lately. I’m not going to echo the whole
discussion here, don’t worry. I’m not even going to take a stance here, since I
don’t have any yet.
Of course, I love the idea. Given the
challenges our society is facing in the coming decades, we do need some
radically different approach to how we get organized.
But first things first: let’s be clear on
what we talk about. This idea is not about a minimum wage as such. This is
about giving away free money (1500,-$ is about the price most often quoted in
my country) to every (adult) citizen, regardless of how wealthy or not they
are. Here’s a short introduction to the idea:
The most often used pro’s and con’s of the
idea are wonderfully expressed by journalist Rutger Bregman in his TED speech:
Ok, so far about setting the scene.
In Belgium at least the idea has stirred
the imagination, both in a positive and negative sense. The detractors of the
idea can be found on both sides of the political spectrum. Liberals don’t like
the idea since it would mean more government impact on society, which is
strange since the basic income would prevent the government of many control and
organizational functions (in providing unemployment allocation, for
instance). Another argument is that with
a basic income there would be no incentive to innovate, or be productive by all
means. But perhaps it would on the contrary free up time for people to work on
new ideas, ones they truly care about…
On the left side I’ve heard worries that
the basic income would increase inequality. Seems strange at first, but the
reasoning is that the basic income would also be granted to rich people, who
don’t really need it. Should we not give double the income to poorer people who
need it, and none to richer people? I see the point, but then we’re really only
subsidizing the poor (for which there is something to say, but it’s a different
discussion altogether).
Before making your opinion about this idea,
it’s certainly worth scrolling through the vivid discussion on the TED conversations archive.
As to me, I haven’t made up my mind just
yet. But what I do believe is that any new way of how to organize society is
worth thinking about…
For me a Basic Income means freedom, the ability to live out what ever limited time i have on this planet without the coercive demand to either find a way to exchange my labour for wages or be destitute. We all deserve the freedom to take the time to be parents, caregivers to ailing or infirm family members, to mourn and to work through our life challenges without the worry of how to survive while doing so. No one knows how long their life will be and that time should be theirs to spend as they please, not to have to waste from 1/3 to 1/2 of it commuting and toiling at some menial task for menial wages.
ReplyDeleteWhat few have realized is that employers will benefit greatly as well. No more minimum wages, no more criticisms for layoffs or plant closures, workers who will actually want the job because they want 'more' money and more stuff and the employer's ability to exchange trips, their products, homes, vehicles and anything else instead of wages to workers.
Let's end the dysfunctional premise that the only way a person has value is defined solely by their exchange of labour for wages while those who are unable to unwilling to "join the workforce" are to be discarded to a life of destitution or as defined by the 15th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes as solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.
oh good, just to clarify the above post and if any want further discussion, instead of anonymous i just figured out how to use my Reddit name Rascale instead :)
ReplyDeleteAnother consideration is the dysfunctional co-dependency that has developed between governments, employers and employees. It is well known that government has become explicitly involved in creating 'employment' opportunities that tend to serve employers far more than employees. From subsistence minimum wages, to making unions illegal, to paying employers to NOT automate or robotize or mechanize some particular task so that a human being can be "employed" at the repetitive-injury prone and mind-numbingly boring task, none of which shows much respect or consideration for the employee.
ReplyDeleteBusiness and Industry has been given the freedom to find opportunities anywhere on the planet and now it is time that human beings be granted the same freedom. Namely the freedom to live out whatever limited time they have in this life engaged in and employed by the tasks that give their lives meaning and purpose. Let science and technology do the heavy lifting and the repetitive tasks and let human beings, well be.
What about being free to spend whatever time and energy is required to care for an ailing or infirm family member or dear friend, or to deal with whatever life challenges that, inevitably come to all of us at some time or another, or to mourn the loss of a loved one, or to simply live a life without the all pervasive and intimidatingly coercive demand to exchange our skills/labour for wages or be destitute. In essence, if you have no "job" you have no value.
But this is just a symptom of the entrenched dysfunctional and circular thinking of "employment' of human beings only being related to the exchange of labour/skills for wages. Thinking that does not place any value on personal tasks as described above, nor on community enriching tasks such as volunteerism, involvement in amateur sports, "barn raising" projects and how a Basic Income would result in an explosion within the arts and crafts all of bring far greater value to communities than any "jobs for wages" ever could. All of which "employ" human beings but not for wages but for personal and community enrichment.