iDEA'S FROM THE FAR CORNER
±55 - Welfare benefits
Nb: conceived 1997, and the inspiration for this series. A few countries are now testing this option
Yeah, we totally get it, you don't like people living off the state. Those awful single parents with young kids, people looking after old or disabled family members, those unable to find work and those pretending they cannot work!
Oh and let's not forget the lazy ones or those arriving from others countries. Man the system is completely crumbling, its messy and has become a nasty social issue...
So how about this idea - Let's give everyone state welfare benefits!
This idea is not new, many countries are considering this option, a few experimenting with it. Here we say, every single person gets an automatic income from the state.
This would instantly eliminate the stigma and jealousy fuelling all the animosity, while drastically reducing the ridiculously high administrative costs involved. It would remove the terrible and often unfair decision of who should get welfare benefits and the amount
Importantly it would dissolve that unpleasant feeling of guilt that many of us hold within, that we are not showing enough care and kindness towards the less fortunate and older members within our society.
Imagine everyone received 10,000 each year based on just a few simple rules; you are a registered resident, have a social security number and bank account in that country. No exclusions on marriage, number of people in the family, age, disability or any other factor. Every person from the day of their birth receives a tax-free payment until the day they die.
An idea first put forward by economist Milton Friedman in the 1960s. It was actually used as an experiment in Manitoba, Canada in the 1970s, creating, briefly, "the town with no poverty." A subsequent study by Duke University researchers found that during the experiment, Manitoban's had lower rates of hospitalisation, particularly regards to mental health problems and were generally far more cheerful!
Without a doubt, currently, we are pushing ourselves deeper down the rabbit hole, where the elderly, disabled, sick and poor - who really deserve help, are often treated with disrespect because the system is too strained. Plus there are many who are intent on getting the most out of the system. Yes, that's a nice way of saying cheating!
Not to mention, the system itself is complicated and fraught with expensive catastrophic mistakes, so running costs are astronomical - instead of publishing the total admin amount, governments often spread them across departments, making the actual cost challenging to pin down
This idea works for almost every country. In a few cases, there is a small increase in outlay to current benefits, but considering the trillions governments spend on wars, weapons, security, this is minor in comparison. There would still be administration costs, although substantially less as algorithms allow us to be more automated. If payments are made via bank transfer and administered in conjunction with citizen registration. Besides tax revenue would get a boost, as taxes would be charged on all income above the 10k
This could have a significant effect on our evolution as a society, in terms of fairness and respect for each other. It would certainly eliminate a large amount of low-level poverty, showing people they are held in regard and involved in society.
Yes, there will be lazy people, so what? If you really feel the need to buy more material things or merely enjoy working,
great go ahead! Alternatively, do what you wish, be a musician, artist, study the planet, educate yourself, do charity work, be a parent, read books all day, start your own business or work for somebody else
Enough of this bad feeling because you are working and your neighbour is not, or because you are trudging to a job you dislike to pay your mortgage while your neighbour sits at home getting their rent paid.
Paying everyone would end this ugly underlying stigma while caring for people with some grace and dignity
There are just a few meditative thoughts on this vast topic from 3000monks
So what do you say...For or Against?
edited 2017
© for permission to use our words simply ask
±55 - Welfare benefits
Nb: conceived 1997, and the inspiration for this series. A few countries are now testing this option
Yeah, we totally get it, you don't like people living off the state. Those awful single parents with young kids, people looking after old or disabled family members, those unable to find work and those pretending they cannot work!
Oh and let's not forget the lazy ones or those arriving from others countries. Man the system is completely crumbling, its messy and has become a nasty social issue...
So how about this idea - Let's give everyone state welfare benefits!
This idea is not new, many countries are considering this option, a few experimenting with it. Here we say, every single person gets an automatic income from the state.
This would instantly eliminate the stigma and jealousy fuelling all the animosity, while drastically reducing the ridiculously high administrative costs involved. It would remove the terrible and often unfair decision of who should get welfare benefits and the amount
Importantly it would dissolve that unpleasant feeling of guilt that many of us hold within, that we are not showing enough care and kindness towards the less fortunate and older members within our society.
Imagine everyone received 10,000 each year based on just a few simple rules; you are a registered resident, have a social security number and bank account in that country. No exclusions on marriage, number of people in the family, age, disability or any other factor. Every person from the day of their birth receives a tax-free payment until the day they die.
An idea first put forward by economist Milton Friedman in the 1960s. It was actually used as an experiment in Manitoba, Canada in the 1970s, creating, briefly, "the town with no poverty." A subsequent study by Duke University researchers found that during the experiment, Manitoban's had lower rates of hospitalisation, particularly regards to mental health problems and were generally far more cheerful!
Without a doubt, currently, we are pushing ourselves deeper down the rabbit hole, where the elderly, disabled, sick and poor - who really deserve help, are often treated with disrespect because the system is too strained. Plus there are many who are intent on getting the most out of the system. Yes, that's a nice way of saying cheating!
Not to mention, the system itself is complicated and fraught with expensive catastrophic mistakes, so running costs are astronomical - instead of publishing the total admin amount, governments often spread them across departments, making the actual cost challenging to pin down
This idea works for almost every country. In a few cases, there is a small increase in outlay to current benefits, but considering the trillions governments spend on wars, weapons, security, this is minor in comparison. There would still be administration costs, although substantially less as algorithms allow us to be more automated. If payments are made via bank transfer and administered in conjunction with citizen registration. Besides tax revenue would get a boost, as taxes would be charged on all income above the 10k
This could have a significant effect on our evolution as a society, in terms of fairness and respect for each other. It would certainly eliminate a large amount of low-level poverty, showing people they are held in regard and involved in society.
Yes, there will be lazy people, so what? If you really feel the need to buy more material things or merely enjoy working,
great go ahead! Alternatively, do what you wish, be a musician, artist, study the planet, educate yourself, do charity work, be a parent, read books all day, start your own business or work for somebody else
Enough of this bad feeling because you are working and your neighbour is not, or because you are trudging to a job you dislike to pay your mortgage while your neighbour sits at home getting their rent paid.
Paying everyone would end this ugly underlying stigma while caring for people with some grace and dignity
There are just a few meditative thoughts on this vast topic from 3000monks
So what do you say...For or Against?
edited 2017
© for permission to use our words simply ask
