> it's easy to see where the basics could be so easily provided that it would seem (to me) morally repugnant not to provide them to everyone. Whilst I agree, t

> it's easy to see where the basics could be so easily provided that it would seem (to me) morally repugnant not to provide them to everyone. Whilst I agree, the definition of basics keeps expanding in scope. Once it was food and water, then it was nutritious food and clean water, then we tack on shelter and medical care and electricity and internet and education and clothing and transport. So this point where we can easily provide the basics to everyone seems somewhat mythical. Our poorest people live in comparative luxury compared to the people of 500 years ago but we still call it poverty.