In fact, many worry about a future where robots take over many of our jobs, and in response, some suggest governments examine the
idea of a universal basic income.
Some countries, including Finland and Canada, have already approved pilot
tests of universal basic income, and the issue is being widely debated in the Netherlands and Scotland.
While the book is stuffed with helpful big picture observations, it doesn't offer much in the way of specific on - the - ground ideas — though Keen does call for reforms to data privacy and gig economy labor laws, and for a serious
discussion of a universal basic income.
Even in Silicon Valley, experiments regarding the
adoption of a universal basic income have been hotly debated — and incubator Y Combinator has embarked on a controversial study of such a move.
Furthermore, rather than a simple return to the corporatist model of 1970s social democracy, John McDonnell has been impressively leading the way in innovative economic thinking, including on regional development banks, popularly controlled monetary policy, and most intriguingly his
consideration of a universal basic income.
Thoughts about family segue into analytical policy on flexible parental leave, the gender pay gap, the
merits of a universal basic income and the shocking amount of unpaid work done by women (# 1,019 trillion 2014).
Some
critics of a universal basic income argue it would disincentivise work, but economic security should be a basic human right that wouldn't see a mass exodus from the labour force.
In this week's Weekend Reads, Vox gives us a
taste of universal basic incomes, National Geographic breaks down the country — literally — into economic «megaregions,» and Quartz takes you inside Google's Alphabet's Jigsaw, a tech incubator that wants to make the world a better place and definitely isn't Google.
On the new podcast, Hughes explained how his proposal for guaranteed income — $ 500 a month for everyone making $ 50,000 or less per year — differs from the more commonly discussed
concept of universal basic income.
That's why you're increasingly hearing them talking up the concept
of universal basic income, a social welfare program that would ensure widespread unemployment doesn't bring about equally widespread poverty and social unrest.
The concept
of Universal Basic Income has received a lot of news coverage lately.