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Supply is limited. Always. Increase demand enough, and there MUST be an increase in "friction" somehow to limit demand to match supply; otherwise, supply runs
by ctdonath 11y ago
Supply is limited. Always. Increase demand enough, and there MUST be an increase in "friction" somehow to limit demand to match supply; otherwise, supply runs out fast favoring "first come first served" and suffering waste while "real need" goes unfulfilled. Raising prices is the most natural and appropriate (if arguably imperfect) way to apply such friction, generally equalizing the cost value to the buyer with the reward value to the seller.
- phaus 11y agoI understand the argument. What I'm asking about, is whether or not it would negate the positive effects of a basic income. The people who argue against the idea of a basic income often use this argument as evidence that it can't possibly work.
- ctdonath 11y agoThe whole point of basic income is to reduce the friction for obtaining necessities ... which is increasing demand for a limited supply. Demand increases, supply either exhausts rapidly or finds some other way of increasing friction - usually by increasing prices, stabilizing right about back where we started but with higher prices. In addition, money itself is of limited supply. Reducing the friction for obtaining money results in increased demand for that limited supply of money. Demand increases, supply either exhausts rapidly[1] or finds some other way of increasing friction - usually by increasing prices (inflation), stabilizing right about back where we started but with higher prices. [1] - "The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money."