this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2023
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How would socially corrected incomes work? You tell the government you made $500k this year and they tell you that you can keep $400k?
You're right that UBI does not create equality, it's just a floor for basic needs being covered. It's probably a little more palatable politically (ha) than socially corrected incomes.
I would argue we need other systemic changes like anti-monopoly enforcement, stronger unions and massive worker cooperatives to even start to address inequality, because of the disparity in power.
That's sort of how it works yes. Most western countries already have similar things. If you, for example, make less than 1200 € per month, you get an extra 300 € to get to what is theoretically needed to survive. In Belgium it's called "leefloon". In Germany it's "Burgergeld". It is the very lowest anyone can "earn". You only need to prove residence and a few other things (they want to shield the system from recent migrants), the bar for being eligible is very low, the main factor is your (lack of) income. The tier 'higher' is unemployment money. It's a nicer cheque, but you have to "actively search for a job". You need to have worked and contributed to this system for x years to be eligible. Both exclude people who clearly don't need a UBI. Which is why it's superior. There is 0 societal benefit from giving wealthy people more money for no reason whatsoever. The main issue with the existing systems is that taxes for the wealthy and corps got too damn low to support it, and that such systems require a big bureaucracy to verify who is eligible and who isn't, and to guide them towards social housing, education, jobs etc. Tho the second argument becomes less and less valid in a digital age. 95 % of needed information I'd already in government databases.
In the states I believe the process you're describing is called "means testing." It's how the government determines whether someone can receive food stamps or other government assistance: checking first if they really need it, do they have the means to buy food, etc.
The advantage of UBI is that the question of who has a right to claim the benefit is completely sidestepped, and so is the accompanying bureaucracy and barriers.
You're right, rich people don't need UBI. At the same time - much harder to complain about something everyone gets. Much harder to take back a right that all citizens have, than "charity" that only the powerless receive. Harder to call people "welfare queens".
On top it's also how the entire tax system works, and for good reason.
You earn 500k.
First 100k: 10% tax. second 100k: 20% tax. ... Last 100k: 50% tax.
You make more, you contribute more. That's how the dream worked very well for a long time. It's just that the higher tax brackets went down and down and down... giving everyone random money for nothing every month fixes no social inequality issues at all. Potentially making it worse.
You've got the "from each according to their ability" part. The tax and welfare system we have now is missing the "to each according to their needs" part. A UBI is literally an overnight thing we can implement now, to vastly improve the lives of the most downtrodden, and it'll save money in the long run for the government.
Ah, I've heard something similar referred to as a progressive tax. Same thing? You're right, that's a good policy.