[ox-en] Re: Basic income as an option?
- From: Stefan Merten <smerten oekonux.de>
- Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2005 18:15:59 +0200
Hi Tom!
2 weeks (20 days) ago Tom Chance wrote:
On Tuesday 04 Oct 2005 07:48, Stefan Merten wrote:
I guess you got FranzN wrong. That a basic income that is worth
mentioning is weakening the capitalist system is clear anyway. If
you'd have a basic income which guarantees a decent life style then
why work? Especially why work under conditions many people are forced
to work under today? No, the threat of poverty is the only thing which
can force people to work under alienated conditions.
Well most proponents of basic income (particular when unconditional) put the
level of the income around subsistence level.
Indeed. This is why I said "which guarantees a decent life style".
What you describe is certainly not a decent life style.
At that level or below it would
still be in anyone's interest to work since you'd then have a disposable
income for luxuries, and because people generally want to do something
productive with their time.
As far as the luxuries are concerned: Agreed. Poverty still works as a
threat here.
Something productive with their time I do not agree. You gave an
example yourself:
Then you get the benefits of reducing the power of employers over low-wage
workers, escaping the poverty trap (where conditional welfare income
encourages people to make themselves worse off and to not get a job),
empowering women who really suffer when taking time off work for raising a
^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^
child,
^^^^^
I'd add men doing this but otherwise I think we agree that this is
something productive some people like to do.
reducing the dominance of the formal economy in people's life
decisions, and plenty of other benefits.
This all would be true only if you can pursue a decent life style with
this basic income. If basic income means poverty it will be little
attractive.
Anyway: The central question was whether a basic income could help
Free modes of production. I think there is no general doubt in this.
Only the details are a bit difficult ;-) .
Mit Freien Grüßen
Stefan
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