Absolutely. Tying healthcare to work is insane, and it definitely hits new businesses the hardest
Going further along the same lines, UBI plus removing the minimum wage would be jet fuel for businesses, especially small ones
People like to work. They’d do it even if all their needs were met already. It’s not a hypothetical - people who have more than enough often keep going until age catches up with them. It gives social status and purpose, we’re wired to create or to help others.
What people don’t like is to be exploited or mistreated. Many people would happily work with little or no additional pay to build something as a group, so long as their conditions are good and they share in the success
The threat of poverty not only stifles innovation and societal progress, it’s by far the largest stressor for most people. Removing it would make people less exploitable, but also make them healthier and more productive
It’s not as simple as “cut a check and you’re done” - this is assuming the UBI is enough for basic needs, and by that I mean decent housing, utilities (including Internet), healthy food, etc
Obviously, if you give everyone money tomorrow, companies would just squeeze everyone harder. Housing especially - done wrong it could just all go into the pockets of landlords
But I think it’s a self reinforcing structure and a solid goal. If we limited the commodisation of housing and continued pushing the FTC in the current direction until it’s regularly breaking up tech and financial giants who go too far, I think in a couple decades the playing field would have shifted enough that we wouldn’t instantly backslide
I don’t think it’s the best end goal or ideal method to get there, but it seems like the most achievable one. It plays into the myths of capitalism, it still allows for obscene wealth, and it keeps the game going (hopefully) meaning it’s a feasible step without tearing everything down and attempting to build a new system all at once
Absolutely. Tying healthcare to work is insane, and it definitely hits new businesses the hardest
Going further along the same lines, UBI plus removing the minimum wage would be jet fuel for businesses, especially small ones
People like to work. They’d do it even if all their needs were met already. It’s not a hypothetical - people who have more than enough often keep going until age catches up with them. It gives social status and purpose, we’re wired to create or to help others.
What people don’t like is to be exploited or mistreated. Many people would happily work with little or no additional pay to build something as a group, so long as their conditions are good and they share in the success
The threat of poverty not only stifles innovation and societal progress, it’s by far the largest stressor for most people. Removing it would make people less exploitable, but also make them healthier and more productive
There are more ways for this to go wrong than right.
It’s not as simple as “cut a check and you’re done” - this is assuming the UBI is enough for basic needs, and by that I mean decent housing, utilities (including Internet), healthy food, etc
Obviously, if you give everyone money tomorrow, companies would just squeeze everyone harder. Housing especially - done wrong it could just all go into the pockets of landlords
But I think it’s a self reinforcing structure and a solid goal. If we limited the commodisation of housing and continued pushing the FTC in the current direction until it’s regularly breaking up tech and financial giants who go too far, I think in a couple decades the playing field would have shifted enough that we wouldn’t instantly backslide
I don’t think it’s the best end goal or ideal method to get there, but it seems like the most achievable one. It plays into the myths of capitalism, it still allows for obscene wealth, and it keeps the game going (hopefully) meaning it’s a feasible step without tearing everything down and attempting to build a new system all at once