RE: Hi Steemit! Scott Santens here. If you've ever googled "basic income", you may have read something I've written.
Hi Scott!
I have been pretty active in the idea of a UBI for many years but lately, I changed my ideas and am very wary of the notion (at least in our current economic paradigm).
Maybe you could help re-center me. My main point of contention is UBI in the context of private unequal (massively unequal) ownership of the means of production and our natural world.
To me, the notion of a UBI in our current paradigm would make people more dependent on their states and governing bodies for their livelihoods. This would give more power to the states over its citizens. Thus further centralizing the power versus the distributed (albeit very faulty as well) system of corporations controlling this economic power.
Further centralizing (opposed to decentralizing) the power over us to meet our needs.
What do you think about this issue?
Further, if you care to answer. What do you think about collaborative ownership of private property in order to provide a UBI for said parties?
Example to clarify the point:
All citizens of the states OWNING an equal fraction of the entirety of the states which owns all the land. Those with the willingness to produce for their personal gain would have to pay to access collaboratively owned assets and this pay (tax) would be equitably distributed.
Now, that idea is ridiculous as a direct shift from where we are today to that is very difficult to fathom. But, this same system on a smaller scale. A start-up society where UBI is built in and collaborative ownership is a central element...
Anyway, I'm glad to have you here! I also have my own UBI, a privileged position to be. But, it does allow me freely pursue my passions of designing a society that will better work for all of us!
I see unconditional basic income as the key to unlocking the doors you wish to open, and the unconditional part as primary.
For a basic income to be basic income, it must lack conditions. Without conditions, the state has no power over you. Your basic income would be a fundamental right to economic security. The unconditionality would allow everyone to say no in so many ways they currently lack the power to do so. Lack of conditions means better ability to be an informed citizen, to be active and volunteer in elections, to vote in elections. This is greater power to the people, not less.
The ability to say no also provides enhanced bargaining power to workers. It enables workers the kind of power only currently possible through unions, and it even better enables the ability to organize and strike. Additionally, as capital and as consumer buying power, it allows more startups to choose to go the route of worker-self-owned enterprises. UBI enables workers the power to get a larger share of the pie, and to own a larger share as well.
The true transformational potential of UBI lies in the funding. The best UBI will be funded in the smartest ways. Smart of course isn't entirely objective, and some may disagree with what I consider to be smart, but if you haven't read this of mine, please do. It describes the Alaska model of UBI.
In regards to your question, I'd prefer to see a land value tax, and have that help fund the UBI, which is also described in the above link.
Hi @Scottsantens Apologies for the extremely delayed response. I needed to take some time to learn more about your ideas and the UBI concept as a whole in order to better add value to this discussion. At the end of the day, I completely agree with most everything you are saying in philosophy and in spirit.
I noticed the goal that it appears that you have is to petition our governments to enact laws creating a UBI. I think this is marvelous!
I also believe there is another approach, this is a 'bottom-up' approach. Rather than dedicating my energy towards modifying the current systems I have been actively engaged in creating complementary systems that can be enacted at a community level to achieve similar results and start to transition society. This scale can impact a community on a monthly time scale opposed to the yearly/decade timescale of governments.
You mentioned in your Alaska article.
I couldn't agree more. However, I wanted a model that was even more direct than the one you detailed. So. Here it is!
This is all to say that I have been engaged in designing a new society model (called Our NeighbourGood) with an economic model centered on a Crypto-currency that would be able to begin to enact UBI-like policies. I would love some feedback from you on the functionality and methodology I have described.
Challenging the Old Money Gods (Including Bitcoin)! A New Crypto-Currency for a New Society!
https://steemit.com/money/@rieki/onc-a-new-coin-for-a-new-society-a-solution-for-ubi-decentralization-and-ecological-destruction-all-addressed-in-one-coin
If you have a moment to weight in on this idea. I would greatly appreciate any contributions you could make our insights you could offer!
Warmly,
Rieki