this post was submitted on 07 Mar 2024
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[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

So the system doesn't work (and didn't really in the best of times), everyone else successfully moved forwards - but because the system might work in theory, you should stick with it?

Ngl, sounds like copy-pasted from propaganda brochure.

Don't give "too much money to the poor"? What even is the worst case for that when you have production levels where a) there should be no poor people to even give them money and b) even giving "too much money" to everyone right now wound only marginally effect the economy.

Like, is there a threat that they will use that money to lobby the government to increase taxes for the rich?

Or perhaps that would make for a better world and kinder society which wound be absolutely terrible? Can't live in a society without poor people? Dude.

Americans like to argue that increasing taxes lowers GDP (but actually just short-term stock prices) yet I've never met anyone that in case of eg 90% average tax on their 10 million income would just say 'fuck it, one million is not worth it, it's basically the same as living homeless on the street so I'm just gonna do that'.

[–] Carighan 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Don’t give “too much money to the poor”? What even is the worst case for that when you have production levels where a) there should be no poor people to even give them money and b) even giving “too much money” to everyone right now wound only marginally effect the economy.

How do you mean? Maybe that read wrong - again, not a native speaker - but I meant that instead of just giving everyone more and more free-floating cash, once you've tackled societal poverty to an acceptable enough degree, it seems far more important to transfer extra cash stripped from billionaires etc into projects that enhance the quality of life for everyone, like public free healthcare, free public transport, free internet access, etc etc.

Sure, everyone wants and frankly needs a certain amount of money they can freely spend on luxury items even beyond a basic need, but once a certain level of that is achieved, I feel there's so many society-benefitting projects that should get money first. That is to say, we should not try to repeat the same mistake that ultimate led to the shit we're in now, the whole "more money is more better" error. Enough money + not much need for money to begin with feels much more stable to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Oh, yes, I understand that as the same thing - giving money to people (negative taxes) and building them infrastructure (that they don't need to pay for as there isn't a profit invective).

And absolutely the second thing, building infrastructure for the people, is way better and more efficient. I don't need as much money/basic income to live in a world with good public transport, healthcare, housing, etc.

I'm not even a big advocate for money as a concept going forward actually.

Sorry if I misunderstood you (not a native speaker either), we are thinking the same thing, the function of basic income now (overcoming living costs greatly influenced by profit margins) is not the same as what it's function would be if companies had less power over people.