Universal Basic Income is not about work ending, it's just a floor.

Here in British Columbia, we just had minimum wage go up to $16.75. Naturally, the usual comments arrived "oh that's too much." Meanwhile, in 2017, former US labor secretary Robert Reich said if minimum wage kept up from inflation, it would be $24/hour ($30/hour Cdn)

The share going to labor has gone down while finance has exploded. Jobs themselves are no longer a place of security with 1/3 of BC jobs now in the "gig economy" precariat.

Basic income isn't "money for free", it's back pay. It's your share of our investment. It's an investment in our communities, our healthcare, and our full potential.

More information:

Introductory playlist:

Books:

F.A.Q by Scott Santens:

Articles/Research at Basic Income Earth Network:

Videos:

Recent video for those who claim it will be about government control based on the writings of Scott Santens (also available in his F.A Q. above)

[agun]

agreed. ive been out of paying work since covid but having my needs provided for by my family is a blessing that everyone should have. it enables me to engage fully in studying software development and electronics.

it's easy to put in more time and effort to something i personally find value in

[TheReykjavik]

At some point in the future, we may develop AI and robotics that are good enough to generally put people out of work. We already have AI and robotics that are replacing a lot of human work. The thing universal basic income will do is change that from a problem into a benefit. If there is no support for people who can't find work, the system will collapse, if there is support (and UBI isn't the only way, but I think it might be the best way to provide that support), then we can all benefit from the improvements in technology that let us get more useful stuff done with less effort.

Reducing work is a good thing. UBI doesn't make there be any less work to do, and if implemented sensibly it will increase the amount of work to do, by giving everyone a share of the prosperity we keep generating, we will increase demand for goods and services as people who previously couldn't afford anything beyond the necessities can afford more (not to mention the benefit of people who were previously unable to afford necessities and now can afford them).

The only way UBI can decrease work is by creating an economy where we can safely replace human labor, so we do it. In our current system, there is a very real risk of putting people out of work quickly enough that it results in a violent revolt against the "elites". If we put a UBI in place before we automate our economy further, we can maintain quality of life and a functioning economy based on prosperity rather than artificial scarcity.

[volvowithlazers]

if everybody below 65k a year knew that their utilities and rent were 75% covered every month working or not would relieve individual and family stressers, idealy it would be 85% with no utility shut off and base line affordable housing at 680 sq feet for 85K over 25 years or less and if efficient market offerings do their job we solve density, urban repop, crime, mental health, community well being, business development both small and large, reduced car flow, just nice places to live.
the trick is getting capitalist to not be anarchic

[mikesuggitt]

My apologies if this question is answered elsewhere but this video popped up in my feed. Can UBI be implemented without some structure of price control? We saw what happened with the stimulus cheques in America during the pandemic. It became another way of funnelling money to the banks via landlords as they increased rents. The ordinary people saw little benefit from the extra injection of cash. Which countries do you think stand a chance of successfully implementing UBI. ( I might wish to emigrate...) I have no real wish to be rich. I would just prefer to not feel frightened of being homeless if I'm let go from my job or become infirm. UBI would go some way to assuage that fear.

[GreyRock]

I'm a proponent of UBI and I just hate working.😂

[mjnyc]

Incentive or disincentive? UBI could be both, depends on the person.

[baronmeduse]

It's still a poor alternative to a Job Guarantee. UBI is money transfer payments with no guarantee of economic activity resulting from it, no matter what anyone says. If it has a tax exemption it is inflationary. It's not that there aren't jobs to be done, there are loads of things that need to be done, it's that neoliberal economies and privatised industries/services favour cutting them to the bone. UBI isn't changing the face of the economic model it is just putting that bottom-end buffer in place. But note well that practically ever concept of the UBI favoured by those goverments who would likely implement it, is one where basic income replaces all current benefits. That might be thought good, but the costs don't go away and when you discover that your €1000-€1500 a month UBI has to pay for rent where you once had a rent subsidy, for health insurance where you once had a subsidy...it's a little different. They see it as a way to abolish the social-security system with a minimum payment where it is imagined that you seek work alongside, but there are factors that aren't changed: employers won't hire you because they always employ people moving from a job, rather than unemployed people who are seen as a risk. Also, if you think you can live on a UBI then there is really no incentive to work at all. The ideat that people all become entrpreneurs is fantasyland.