UBIBregman

Tedx Maastricht movie

• citizen's dividend / free money for everyone
• utopia have a tendency of coming through (democracy, equal rights women)
• monthly grant enough to cover your basic needs
• universal / right / unconditional
• proven idea: experiments all over the world
  • big success
  • comparing test group
  • lower inequality / lower infant mortality / less health care / better emancipation rates / ...
  • cheapest and most civilized way to combat poverty
  • One experiment in London with a homeless man -> presence of high policing/healthcare costs

:** 2009: each 2000 pounds cash -> What do you think is good for you? (no counselling required => no high expectations) -> 800 pounds -> 7/13 had a roof, 2 more housing, learned to cook, visited children, plans for the future, ... The experiment costed 50000 pound (=> factor 7 saved)
:** -> rethink poverty

• Changing economy: robots coming for our jobs
  • solution of 21st century to 20st
  • governments obsessed with pushing people into jobs -> inspectors of inspectors of inspectors...
  • Better alternative to our current welfare mess

• 3 main vulnerable objections:
  • Calculations: too expensive : times of Thomas Paine true, but not true anymore. We are richer than ever. Because our forefathers works so hard. Eradicating poverty = investments. 1.75 billion to eradicate poverty in the US = 1/4 of military budget -> can pay for itself (?)
  • Free money => stop working (human nature). Each individually -> stop working? 99% -> no, I got dreams. -> what will other people do? -> they will probably stop working. Experiments tell us that most people want to contribute to society. Poor people work more.
  • It is a great idea, but the idea is too big. Politicians are too busy with themselves. Richard Nixon (conservative Watergate president) -> almost implemented basic income through house of representative, but senate rejected because it wanted a bigger basic income.

In history, there is something called progress...

Is not it time to update our world view? Ideas can change the world. Stronger than a thousand armies.