Sally,
I don't really know what you mean by "wage slavery". Most people want to
work -- particularly the "hunter" male -- because this gives them a place
in a group. High, medium or low status doesn't matter so much as belonging
and being acccpted. In the UK I judge that there are probably at least two
or three million people in jobs who would be no worse off financially if
they could invent a medical condition and went on benefit. I'm surprised
there aren't more who are swinging the lead. (The Labour Government here
considers that at least 1 million of the 2.5 million of working age who are
on benefit shouldn't be -- it's grown that much in recent years! -- and are
now whittling this down via new medical examinations.)
If a basic income for all were instituted then the middle class would have
to pay more taxation. Even if this were politically achievable then the
government would have to increase benefits to compensate. As always, these
benefits are skewed to the benefit of the middle class so the jobless and
the low waged wouldn't benefit. On the other hand if a government could
replace the present taxation system with a sales tax then you could give a
basic income to those who don't have one without any subsequent
distortions. There's no reason why at all why a sales tax shouldn't be
progressive from basic goods all the way up to luxury items. After all, the
rich often pay absurd prices for things which give them high status. Even
the purchase of a house (the most precise status good there is) can carry a
sales tax, to be paid for over a number of years like the mortgage itself.
Keith
At 08:52 02/02/2010 -0500, you wrote:
My error. Probably less Freudian than just sloppy.
I can't see how it's worse to have a secure basic income under everyone
than to have
almost everyone at the mercy of wage slavery or no "job" in our loopy
economic system.
Sally
________________________________________
From: [email protected]
[[email protected]] On Behalf Of Christoph Reuss
[[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 3:59 PM
To: Keith Hudson; RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION
Subject: Re: [Futurework] NYTimes.com: Jobless Turn to Family for Help
>> Time for basin income yet?
Freudian typo?
Keith wrote:
> But I don't see how the middle class will stomach the taxation
> involved if it's to be a basic income for all.
Good point, Keith. BI is actually a plot to give the final blow to the
middle class. After that, what's left is only a small "elite" of fatcats
exploiting masses of cheap slaves. No wonder they consider China the model.
Chris
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Keith Hudson, Saltford, England
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