3 ms·

Unions tend to create their own distortions. The first thing they do when they achieve power is go right about manipulating the political environment to ensure

Unions tend to create their own distortions. The first thing they do when they achieve power is go right about manipulating the political environment to ensure that no one is able to work in their field without joining and paying the union. Empowering the individual is the answer. Not trading one master for another. Even if the new master double-pinky-swears he's gonna be better than the old one.

cookiecaper 10y ago
A UBI makes the government itself that master. Everyone will be dependent on the payouts, and it will create a new baseline which will be consumed immediately. Pricing is relative. This will move the goal posts without making anyone functionally wealthier (except the fund's administrators, same as the union bosses always find ways to enrich themselves). Individuals must be empowered by keeping the markets not only open, but gaping. The government's actions should always open up competition. A great way to get started effecting this would be a liberalization of intellectual property law (trim the lifetime of copyrights to 5 years and patents to 7 years, for example, while also seriously weakening the extent of the monopolies they grant). Another way would be a modernization of the courts, to ensure that little people can have their concerns addressed speedily and at minimal cost. Cartels and monopolies should be aggressively disrupted (ideally through indirect action, though direct is not out of the realm of possibility), and market distorters like health insurers should be excised quickly.
- TheAdamAndChe 10y ago
  Your argument against UBI is similar to the argument against raising minimum wage, saying that any gains will instantly lost due to inflation. The problem with this is that it is false[1]. Also, inflation adjusted, minimum wage was actually higher in the 60s, meaning the lower class had greater purchasing power. I see no reason why this would differ with UBI. [1] https://medium.com/@discomfiting/debunking-if-you-raise-the-minimum-wage-it-will-cause-inflation-c0db32f579f8 https://medium.com/@discomfiting/debunking-if-you-raise-the-...
- noonespecial 10y ago
  It's true. The UBI will move prices. But something interesting happens. If I have $1 and you have $1m, a UBI of $32k given to both of us will make me much richer in comparison even though we got the same handout. The UBI is like gravity pulling inequality towards the middle. A force that counteracts the "rich get richer" force that dominates today's economy.

cookiecaper 10y ago

A UBI makes the government itself that master. Everyone will be dependent on the payouts, and it will create a new baseline which will be consumed immediately. Pricing is relative. This will move the goal posts without making anyone functionally wealthier (except the fund's administrators, same as the union bosses always find ways to enrich themselves). Individuals must be empowered by keeping the markets not only open, but gaping. The government's actions should always open up competition. A great way to get started effecting this would be a liberalization of intellectual property law (trim the lifetime of copyrights to 5 years and patents to 7 years, for example, while also seriously weakening the extent of the monopolies they grant). Another way would be a modernization of the courts, to ensure that little people can have their concerns addressed speedily and at minimal cost. Cartels and monopolies should be aggressively disrupted (ideally through indirect action, though direct is not out of the realm of possibility), and market distorters like health insurers should be excised quickly.

TheAdamAndChe 10y ago
Your argument against UBI is similar to the argument against raising minimum wage, saying that any gains will instantly lost due to inflation. The problem with this is that it is false[1]. Also, inflation adjusted, minimum wage was actually higher in the 60s, meaning the lower class had greater purchasing power. I see no reason why this would differ with UBI. [1] https://medium.com/@discomfiting/debunking-if-you-raise-the-minimum-wage-it-will-cause-inflation-c0db32f579f8 https://medium.com/@discomfiting/debunking-if-you-raise-the-...
noonespecial 10y ago
It's true. The UBI will move prices. But something interesting happens. If I have $1 and you have $1m, a UBI of $32k given to both of us will make me much richer in comparison even though we got the same handout. The UBI is like gravity pulling inequality towards the middle. A force that counteracts the "rich get richer" force that dominates today's economy.