by Karl Widerquist | Jun 15, 2014 | Research
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: You are about to become obsolete. You think you are special, unique, and that whatever it is that you are doing is impossible to replace. You are wrong. As we speak, millions of algorithms created by computer scientists are frantically running on servers all over the world, with one sole purpose: do whatever humans can do, but better. That is the argument for a phenomenon called technological unemployment, one that is pervading modern society. But is that really the case? Or is it just a futuristic fantasy? What will become of us in the coming years, and what can we do to prevent a catastrophic collapse of society? Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That’s OK: How to Survive the Economic Collapse and Be Happy explores the impact of technological advances on our lives, what it means to be happy, and provides suggestions on how to avoid a systemic collapse.
One of the solutions discussed in this book is an unconditional basic income (a federal stipend guarantee).
Federico Pistono, Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That’s OK: How to Survive the Economic Collapse and Be Happy, Second Edition. CreateSpace, January 14, 2014.
Robotswillstealyourjob.com
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 14, 2014 | Research
John Aziz -TheWeek.com
SUMMARY: According to this article, “We are at the beginning of a tidal wave of new economic innovation and growth that will change the way we think about the economy forever.” The author concludes, “But on a rising tide of growth, it will be possible to redistribute wealth from richer to poorer, if the political will to do so exists. In fact, high levels of job displacement will probably make it necessary to do so, perhaps through the implementation of a universal income program, where the government taxes the owners of the robots, and pays each citizen a guaranteed basic income.” John Aziz is the economics and business correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also an associate editor at Pieria.co.uk, and his work has appeared on Business Insider, Zero Hedge, and Noahpinion.
John Aziz, “Prepare yourselves for the robot economy revolution.” TheWeek.com, June 2, 2014.
-Louis K. Meisel Gallery, Inc./CORBIS, via TheWeek.com
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 13, 2014 | Research
Clive Menzies -BBC
SUMMARY: The BBC asked four writer to discuss what we should do to renew the capitalist system. One of them, Clive Menzies, argued that the system has become unequal because of priviledged ownership of natural resources, which should be reversed by a Citizens Dividend (a basic income financed by resource and rent taxes). Clive Menzies is a political economist with a background in business and investment management. He founded the Critical Thinking research project at the Free University and is a member of the Occupy London Economics Working Group
Clive Menzies, “Viewpoints: What should capitalism do?” BBC News, 26 May 2014.
by Josh Martin | Jun 13, 2014 | Research
[Josh Martin]
In this post McCarthy analyzes the choice of the After Party to support a basic income, claiming that the basic income movement is, “at best a waste of time, and at worst a trap that will feed our rights to Wall Street.” He attacks Charles Murray’s basic income proposal and urges his readers to see through this novel economic theorem.
Kyle McCarthy, “The ‘Basic Income’ Trap“, Against Austerity, 2 June 2014.
Source: https://againstausterity.org/blog/basic-income-trap?nopaging=1
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 13, 2014 | Research
SUMMARY: The author argues, unconditional basic income is being heralded as the solution to all of Europe’s financial problems, but the salary for everyone is not all it’s cracked up to be, because UBI fails most financial feasibility tests. She concludes, “An unconditional basic income discourages career progression and innovation, could potentially have detrimental economic effects and relies on a non-binding social contract. This leaves many questions unanswered on the possible effects of UBI, suggesting a basic income is not so much a solution to all our problems, but a utopian nightmare we’d do best to wake up from soon.”
Sandra Kilhof, “Why unconditional basic income is no more than a socialist fairytale.” The New Economy, June 11th, 2014.
Swiss franc notes (above). Critics argue unconditional basic income will give people money for no cause (the New Economy)
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 12, 2014 | Research
Jeremiah Luttrell writes the Common Progress blog which is dedicated “to politically balance progressivism with right-libertarianism in the United States.” In this article, he endorses the name “basic income” but not the policy, opting instead for a work-conditional program, writing “Even though by definition the Basic Income is given unconditionally, we believe it’s strategically wise to include a work requirement or professional development requirement so there’s no disincentive to work.”
Jeremiah Luttrell, “Basic Income in America: Welfare Aid in Direct Cash.” Common Progress, May 20, 2014.
Via Common Progress
