I think there's a serious underlying problem to all 'basic income' proposals. One that's not mired by ideological economic arguments for capitalism and the old protestant work value. But really centered on power politics and caste stratification.
It's very simple. Basic income is a gift. Like welfare, it may or may not be sufficient for survival - depending on the vagaries of elite charity. And like welfare, it will engender dependency of the many on those institutions or elite who gift this welfare.
Who controls the levers of distributing basic income will have control over all those dependent on it. They will become serfs. Another slave class. Unable to even eat without the largess of the patron class.
Can you imagine how this might be used to prevent political or social organization? How this might be used to suppress freedom rather than promote it?
This literally puts the survival of the many into the hands of the very few. And for that reason, it's an exceptionally dangerous idea.
Without a UBI though, productivity gains will just be used to make the rich richer... there still won't be any more work for the "serfs", but without UBI, they won't be able to eat either.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit