The whole “you have to earn a living” rhetoric is really toxic. Have we considered that maybe, in 2015, basic needs like housing, food, and medicine don’t really need to be “earned” but should, in any reasonably industrialized country, be guaranteed?
Oh my god, you spoiled little shits…
“What if people didn’t die because they are poor?”
“OMG you’re so spoiled!!!”
????
You guys don’t understand the kind of economic transformation this world would have to go through for that to happen. Until that magical day (never) comes, get a grip on reality. There’s a difference between thinking poor people deserve to die because they’re poor, and being tired of paying for the healthcare of others when some of us who ARE working for a living can’t even afford to pay for it ourselves.
So you dont think poor people should die for being poor.
You’re just okay with it happening because you are too complacent with the current exploitative and broken economic system to discuss and advocate for anything different?
Let’s see you come up with the economic break through that will suddenly rewire the system and change all of humanity and then fully implement it throughout the world in different economic and social structures. Well?
I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it but people need to take a dose of reality every once in awhile.
The wikipedia article on Basic Income.
Thinking Utopian: How about a universal basic income?
The Economic Case for a Universal Basic Income (Part 1 of a series)
How Universal Basic Income Will Save Us From the Robot Uprising
Basic Income, which is pretty awesome, in fact. You should read up on it.
In fact, some economists theory that a Basic Income system could be cheaper than current welfare systems under the right circumstances. AND studies suggest that systems like this IMPROVE economic activity and LOWER inflation.A study of a pilot project implemented in 2008 and 2009 in the Namibian village of Omitarafound that economic activity actually increased, particularly through the launch of small businesses, and reinforcement of the local market by increasing households’ buying power.
In studies of the Mincome experiment in rural Dauphin, Manitoba in the 1970s, the only two groups who worked significantly less were new mothers, and teenagers working to support their families. New mothers spent this time with their infant children, and working teenagers put significant additional time into their schooling. A final report was never issued, but Manitoban economist Evelyn Forget conducted an analysis of the program in 2009 which was published in 2011. In addition, those who continued to work were given more opportunities to choose what type of work they did. Forget found that in the period that Mincome was administered, hospital visits dropped 8.5 percent, with fewer incidents of work-related injuries, and fewer emergency room visits from car accidents and domestic abuse.Additionally, the period saw a reduction in rates of psychiatric hospitalization, and in the number of mental illness-related consultations with health professionals.
“In 1982, Alaska began providing a partial basic income annually to all its residents. Until the first dividend, Alaska had a higher rate of inflation than the rest of the United States. But ever since the dividend was introduced, Alaska has had a lower rate of inflation than the rest of the United States. A partial basic income was also provided in Kuwait in 2011, when every citizen was given $4,000. Fears of increasing inflation were rampant, as Kuwait already had high inflation. Instead of bad inflation getting worse, it actually got better, decreasing from record highs to under 4 percent.”
So, ya know. There’s all that.
And no, we can’t INSTANTLY force implementation of this system anywhere or everywhere. But we can, ya know, point out and discuss that our current system is deeply flawed and harmful, and try to bring awareness to better alternatives.
So I didn’t know about that and that’s pretty cool. I was referring more to the top comment of:
“What if people didn’t die because they are poor?”
“OMG you’re so spoiled!!!”
?????
Right?
So, I made a post that said “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if like, people’s basic needs for survival were guaranteed”
Then some ass nugget called me spoiled.
To which I responded with that snarky “?????” comment.
I’m not sure what part of that is confusing you.
People shouldn’t die because they are poor.
Because people often assume that the working people not wanting to pay for other’s Healthcare equates to us saying they should die because they are poor. Because the fact of the matter is we don’t live in that kind of situation. So to those who are willing to go out and earn their livings, yeah, people on the internet saying the things we pay for should just be given can be seen as a little spoiled. Again, that whole reality thing.
I’m not sure which part is confusing you.
Here’s another problem. Forcing someone to subsidize another persons existence is tantamount to indentured servitude. Even if it is spread out across a large population. I’m not saying the poor don’t deserve to live.
Also it seems that the two studies you cited saying the minimum income can work are either from a village in Africa or a study that was done over 40+ years ago. Any studies from modern (8 years or less) metropolitan areas?Wait. Did you just suggest that TAXES are INDENTURED SERVITUDE?
Because you already pay taxes. Taxes are an important part of how an economy and a government function?!
And if you actually look at the sources I gave you, they do cite other examples of times when it has been implemented. Here are some more:
In 2010, two pilots were launched in the northern state of Madhya Pradesh in India. The study found an increase in economic activity as well as an increase in savings, an improvement in housing and sanitation, improved nutrition, less food poverty, improved health and schooling, greater inclusion of the disabled in society and a lack of frivolous spending.
The state of Alaska has a small form of this (though not enough to live on). It’s done as a negative income tax and is considered one of the reasons that the state as one of the lowest inflation rates in the country.
In 2011, Iran implemented a basic income grant in order to compensate for the removal of government subsidies on basic goods such as petrol and food. Inflation is falling and the economy is improving
Macau has distributed funds to all residents, permanent and non-permanent, since 2008, as part of the region’s Wealth Partaking Scheme. In 2014, the government distributed 9,000 patacas (approx. $1,127 USD) to each permanent resident, and 5,400 patacas ($676) to non-permanent residents.
In 2015 it was announced that the city ofUtrecht and its local university will be conducting an experiment on basic income. Local authorities are planning to encourage other municipalities to engage in similar experiences.
Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, based in North Carolina, receive payments of several thousand dollars twice a year. These payments are dividends from the profits of the Harrah’s Cherokee casino, and have been distributed since 1996. A study of the payments’ effects on the children of the community found significant declines in poverty, behavioral problems, crime, substance abuse and psychiatric problems, and increases in on-time graduation.
Also I work really fucking hard for a living and I’m pretty sure the system we live under is wildly inefficient and honestly if you work for a living you’re not the problem, the class that makes its living by owning shit already is the problem
Thoughts From The Peacock Angel 