6 ms·

What's unconvincing about UBI? What'd you think of the 2020 unemployment benefits?

by xapata 6y ago

dan-robertson 6y ago
I think it is untenable to basically tell great swathes of the population that they are unnecessary to the economy but here’s some cash for you. I don’t think it is good for the psyche to be put in such a position. I’m sure proponents of UBI have claims that it will provide a safety net allowing people to start businesses or do what they want with their lives but I think assuming it will work for everyone is wishful thinking. I worry it would lead to a situation where the wealthy educated people living in major cities are ok and employed as before while many others are left with nothing but handouts. It’d surely be hard to build a democracy on such a divide—just look at America already. I don’t know about the 2020 unemployment benefits as I don’t live in the US.
- xapata 6y ago
  > unnecessary to the economy I don't think that's the message of UBI. While one could view it somewhat as a charitable policy, with a more cold outlook it's a good policy as a mechanism to make free-market capitalism function more robustly. Think of it like re-balancing your portfolio. Some people don't like calling humans capital or assets, saying that's cold-hearted. If you don't mind that word choice, then it's relatively easy to explain UBI as promoting the long-term health of the economy. Contrary to the message of "unnecessary to the economy," UBI is important precisely because the recipients are critical to the health of the economy. > assuming it will work for everyone I don't think most people think it will work for everyone. Almost no policy is perfect. > It’d surely be hard to build a democracy on such a divide Yes, that's what people were discovering in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and why many capitalist democracies began adopting anti-trust laws and social programs. For example, the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Social Security Act in the US. I expect that UBI will have the opposite effect that you expect, helping alleviate inequality. > I don’t know about the 2020 unemployment benefits as I don’t live in the US. They turned out to be a good policy. Despite fears that people would choose to not work, because they were receiving more money to stay at home, wages did not rise and job openings did not spike. On average. Some differences across industries and locations, of course.

What's unconvincing about UBI? What'd you think of the 2020 unemployment benefits?

by xapata 6y ago

What's unconvincing about UBI? What'd you think of the 2020 unemployment benefits?

I think it is untenable to basically tell great swathes of the population that they are unnecessary to the economy but here’s some cash for you. I don’t think it is good for the psyche to be put in such a position. I’m sure proponents of UBI have claims that it will provide a safety net allowing people to start businesses or do what they want with their lives but I think assuming it will work for everyone is wishful thinking. I worry it would lead to a situation where the wealthy educated people living in major cities are ok and employed as before while many others are left with nothing but handouts. It’d surely be hard to build a democracy on such a divide—just look at America already. I don’t know about the 2020 unemployment benefits as I don’t live in the US.

xapata 6y ago
> unnecessary to the economy I don't think that's the message of UBI. While one could view it somewhat as a charitable policy, with a more cold outlook it's a good policy as a mechanism to make free-market capitalism function more robustly. Think of it like re-balancing your portfolio. Some people don't like calling humans capital or assets, saying that's cold-hearted. If you don't mind that word choice, then it's relatively easy to explain UBI as promoting the long-term health of the economy. Contrary to the message of "unnecessary to the economy," UBI is important precisely because the recipients are critical to the health of the economy. > assuming it will work for everyone I don't think most people think it will work for everyone. Almost no policy is perfect. > It’d surely be hard to build a democracy on such a divide Yes, that's what people were discovering in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and why many capitalist democracies began adopting anti-trust laws and social programs. For example, the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Social Security Act in the US. I expect that UBI will have the opposite effect that you expect, helping alleviate inequality. > I don’t know about the 2020 unemployment benefits as I don’t live in the US. They turned out to be a good policy. Despite fears that people would choose to not work, because they were receiving more money to stay at home, wages did not rise and job openings did not spike. On average. Some differences across industries and locations, of course.