Thomas Wells, “The Robot Economy and the Crisis of Capitalism: Why We Need Universal Basic Income.”

by Jenna van Draanen | Aug 5, 2014 | Research

[Jenna van Draanen]

Thomas Wells, “The Robot Economy and the Crisis of Capitalism: Why We Need Universal Basic Income.” Religion & Ethics, ABC, July 17, 2014.

-ABC

The Philosopher’s Beard, “The looming crisis of Capitalism: Why we need Universal Basic Income”

by Josh Martin | Jul 30, 2014 | Research

Introduction:

“The material prosperity that capitalism has wrought is the product of technology as well as markets (and social norms and state institutions). Markets enhance the efficiency of allocation of resources, such as human labour, between competing projects, while technological innovations enhance the productivity of our use of those resources, the ability to produce more with less. As Keynes prophesised in his famous essay, Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren (1930), the seemingly relentless trend of rising productivity promises to finally end the ‘economic problem’: the struggle to overcome scarcity that has characterised the human condition since our beginning. Finally, we can turn as a society to considering what our enormous wealth can do for us, rather than what we must do to get it.

Yet this is not a time for complacency. Unless we intervene, the same economic system that has produced this astonishing prosperity will return us to the Dickensian world of winners and losers that characterised the beginning of capitalism, or worse. The problem is this, how will ordinary people earn a claim on the material prosperity of the capitalist economy if that economy doesn’t need our labour anymore?”

The Philosopher’s Beard, “The looming crisis of Capitalism: Why we need Universal Basic Income”, The Philosopher’s Beard, 30 May 2014.

(Source: The Philosopher's Beard)

Jon Evans, “After Technology Destroys Capitalism.”

by Karl Widerquist | Jun 20, 2014 | Research

From TechCrunch

This article discusses the current movement of basic income in context of technology replacing employment.

Jon Evans, “After Technology Destroys Capitalism.” TechCrunch, May 3, 2014.

Clive Menzies, “Viewpoints: What should capitalism do?”

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.

Guy Standing, “How To Combat Inequalities Produced By Global Capitalism”

by Harry Pitts | Jun 4, 2014 | Research

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Rising inequality is one of the most salient issues in global and European politics. Guy Standing writes that what we have witnessed in recent decades is not simply an increase in inequality, but also the emergence of a new globalised class structure. A key component of this structure is what he terms ‘The Precariat’: a new class comprising those who lack economic security and stable occupational identities, which has systematically been deprived of some of the fundamental rights afforded to citizens. He argues that a new ‘Precariat Charter’ is required to combat these insecurities, including provision for a basic income as a right of citizenship.

Guy Standing, “How To Combat Inequalities Produced By Global Capitalism”, Social Europe Journal, 12^th May 2014.

Professor Guy Standing