There are many things wrong the the idea of basic income but this is, in my view, the killer reason why it is a really dumb idea:
Another major problem with the basic-income thesis is that its intrinsic vision of society is morally problematic, even perverse: individuals are entitled to a share of social prosperity but have no obligation to contribute anything to it. In the authors’ vision, it is perfectly acceptable for able-bodied young men to collect a perpetual income while living in mom’s basement or a small apartment and doing nothing but play video games and watch Internet porn.From Aaron Renn's review of Basic Income: A Radical Proposal for a Free Society and a Sane Economy, by Philippe Van Parijs and Yannick Vanderborght
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3 comments:
You might have a point if society actually provided employment opportunities for everyone, however as the current unemployment rate compared to available vacancies amply demonstrates this is not the case. What should we do with these people (not all who are single young men with no family responsibilities) then? Leave them with no resources and thus alienated and having no recourse but crime in order to obtain life's wherewithal?
Perhaps Unknown (above) may wish to ponder on the huge number of immigrants arriving in Britain every year to take up employment opportunities - those same employment opportunities are available to the host population.
There is no shortage of jobs, just a shortage of willingness to do them.
Perhaps if we reduced the minimum wage and employment red tape there would be more employment opportunities for young people.
Simon is quite right about the potential moral hazard created by a guaranteed basic income.
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