Warbler said:
ChainsawAsh said:
Warbler said:
Seriously, I am growing very concerned about the improvements in computers and computer intelligence. It is not out of the realm of possibility that computers will able to replace every human at every job. Imagine what it will do to the economy if humans are no long employable? What if computers do take over. I’m serious.
Universal basic income. It’s going to happen. It should happen way sooner than it’s going to though, and it’s going to carry a sigma similar to welfare for far too long after it’s implemented, too.
communism?
more like compassionism…
…and also a simplification of the various welfare states - in it’s administration and costs. As well as the end of politicising people currently receiving benefits as they are be used in attempted vote-winning - without much facts - and without people actually judged on a case-by-case basis.
Case in point for the UK - it’s Govts’s own figures have it as approximately £1.4b p/y is wasted in overpaid errors by it’s admin staff / complicated rules dealing with claims. Benefits ‘cheats’ cost approx £1.2b p/y too. Total amount of benefit that goes uncollected in the UK? £16b p/y.
These figures obviously don’t include those who have been denied disability benefits or had their benefits withdrawn - over which a significant number may have been done so unjustly - or being used a political football as figures need massaging for political means etc.
Not a lot of people know that above figures - especially when the Govt and various media outlets cast benefit claimants in such a negative light.
Strange they don’t focus on the £16b p/y that goes unclaimed to go where it is entitled - instead of it going back into Govt coffers, quietly.
Also often forgotten is that in the UK, maybe elsewhere too, that there are more unemployed people than there are jobs vacant/available - something to also consider for those that cast aspersions one those not working. Especially as for approx 10 years we have been gripped in this financial meltdown where jobs are scarce and job security is low - along with lower-than-inflation rises in wages for many (or no significant rises at all in comparison to rising costs of living).
A universal basic income could help negate a lot of that - and could help many people - & yet also Govts could still save money. Of course, a lot will rely on various Govts defining what universal basic income actually is, or will be… and how serious they are about tackling poverty, and it’s causes and effects.
But nothing like communism, even though there are many forms and interpretations of communism.
An interesting article on an experiment on universal basic income in Finland - and also automation and jobs in general - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/19/basic-income-finland-low-wages-fewer-jobs
Just my take on it, of course.
