<
https://www.vox.com/2020/6/3/21275755/coronavirus-us-stimulus-economy-universal-basic-services>
"The notion of “universal basic services” (UBS) is a relatively new
entrant in the debate over social democratic policy. Much more familiar
is the idea of a universal basic income, which would distribute cash
payments to every citizen. That once-obscure proposal has recently had a
moment in the spotlight, popularized by the presidential campaign of
entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
Another familiar notion is a universal job guarantee, which would
provide a job for any citizen who wants or needs one. I spoke to Pavlina
Tcherneva, an economist advocating for a job guarantee, a few weeks ago.
UBS begins in a different place. Rather than focusing on direct benefits
to individuals, it focuses on the social infrastructure that enables
individuals to reach their potential. Building on universal, publicly
funded services like education and (at least in most countries) health
care, it proposes to expand the range of such services to include other
building blocks of life in a modern society: food and shelter, housing,
access to digital information, and more.
Collectively funding these necessary services would do more to increase
disposable income and opportunity for those in need than any kind of
cash distribution, UBS advocates claim. And it would protect people
better in a crisis."
Via Paul Ferguson.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://www.xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
http://www.glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
http://www.sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
