Reply To: Left and Right Unite! – For the UBI Fight!
I am late to the debate.
Basic income, or basic participation in the collective means of production: oh there is a sting.
I am reminded of a better welfare payment. And then we ‘manage’ our own health, security, housing, and means to survive with it. It is a individualisation/ responsibilisation trope. The means continue, and the old binary continues under it: capital over labour, centrality over dislocation, active over dormant, and so on…
If I had a basic income under a capital controlled social formation: would I be set aside, paid to be dormant? If I relied on welfare, am I not divorced and alienated from the power/productive means- perhaps.
Why not a power with relation to production- and the means of it activity supporting all, for all, with all- the ideal social- made real.
I like the idea of unconditional basic income- but it is giving itself away in the dichotomous term: basic. The other is abundant.
Abundant over basic is more of the same, and ethical differential into have/ have not, control/ controlled.
It would be nice not to struggle, but it would be nice not to know struggle!
Thank you all,
Thought I would just make a quick minded contribution,
L.B