As we are rapidly entering an age where productivity will outstrip employment, as capital (i.e. investment in artificial intelligence systems and robots) will directly be productive, politics will need to make major adjustments.
Work as a 'right' or as a 'value' in itself will need to be reassessed. It simply isn't the case that unemployment is caused by unwillingness to work - increasingly, the jobs simply are not there. This will become increasingly the case as artificial intelligence and robotics continue on their current trajectory - and we will be in this 'space' within the current generation of people alive. Indeed, some analysts detect this effect is already having an impact.
Some kind of stipend - preferably a universal stipend - will soon be necessary. Those who want to work, and improve their lot in life, will work one way or another - perhaps not even for remuneration, but simply for life satisfaction - but the stigma attached to non-work will have to pass away, in time, as those who are not working are recategorised. They cannot be demonised for this will mean demonising a substantial segment of the population, and, eventually, almost everyone.
All citizens will need to receive this basic allowance, regardless of their employment status. Those in employment would receive it, as would those not working. It would be universal, and universally applied, with a minimum of bureaucracy.
In other words, something akin to the current tax-free allowance, but paid to everyone, regardless of age or situation. The complex systems of assessing people for benefits, indeed, entire government departments and their attendant infrastructures, will be swept away, resulting in massive cost savings.
Government pension schemes would also need to be eliminated, and those currently receiving these pensions, moved off them, and onto the basic universal allowance. No future pension shcemes would be put in place.
The cost of such a system would not be excessive - probably not more than the current welfare system, possibly even less. Those earning over a certain amount might need to pay slightly more taxes, and companies might need to pay more too.
The societal benefit would be tremendous - releasing people who want to be creative, allowing artists, writers and poets to flourish. Those with more drive, will go and and work to improve their lot, over and above this basic allowance. The end result, perversely might even be an increase in productivity.
Those who wish to shrink the State would be pleased, as massive swathes of the State apparatus would become redundant, and the government payroll would be cut tremendously. No staff at benefits offices, no job centres, no income assessors for means tested benefits.
Work as a 'right' or as a 'value' in itself will need to be reassessed. It simply isn't the case that unemployment is caused by unwillingness to work - increasingly, the jobs simply are not there. This will become increasingly the case as artificial intelligence and robotics continue on their current trajectory - and we will be in this 'space' within the current generation of people alive. Indeed, some analysts detect this effect is already having an impact.
Some kind of stipend - preferably a universal stipend - will soon be necessary. Those who want to work, and improve their lot in life, will work one way or another - perhaps not even for remuneration, but simply for life satisfaction - but the stigma attached to non-work will have to pass away, in time, as those who are not working are recategorised. They cannot be demonised for this will mean demonising a substantial segment of the population, and, eventually, almost everyone.
All citizens will need to receive this basic allowance, regardless of their employment status. Those in employment would receive it, as would those not working. It would be universal, and universally applied, with a minimum of bureaucracy.
In other words, something akin to the current tax-free allowance, but paid to everyone, regardless of age or situation. The complex systems of assessing people for benefits, indeed, entire government departments and their attendant infrastructures, will be swept away, resulting in massive cost savings.
Government pension schemes would also need to be eliminated, and those currently receiving these pensions, moved off them, and onto the basic universal allowance. No future pension shcemes would be put in place.
The cost of such a system would not be excessive - probably not more than the current welfare system, possibly even less. Those earning over a certain amount might need to pay slightly more taxes, and companies might need to pay more too.
The societal benefit would be tremendous - releasing people who want to be creative, allowing artists, writers and poets to flourish. Those with more drive, will go and and work to improve their lot, over and above this basic allowance. The end result, perversely might even be an increase in productivity.
Those who wish to shrink the State would be pleased, as massive swathes of the State apparatus would become redundant, and the government payroll would be cut tremendously. No staff at benefits offices, no job centres, no income assessors for means tested benefits.
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