For years I have been advocating basic income. And I think it’s great to see more and more people talking about it, thinking about it and also carrying out experiments. But still it gnaws at me, because the term is used in so many different ways, and my image of basic income is more about basic services for everyone anyway. Basic income should not be a replacement for benefits or a way to help people get through it (temporarily) and quickly get back to work and start earning a “real” income.
For me, basic income is about the right to exist in our society. The right to have a roof over your head, to be able to get groceries, to be able to pay for your insurance. And so I think basic income is not the right term. Because people will always want to keep working, and plenty of people want to earn more than a basic income offers them. I also think this is possible, and that people will always want to add values to society, to an organization and to their own environment.
Right now, unfortunately, most people are working not from adding values but to maintain their livelihood and afford a basic lifestyle. Many of us have fear of losing our salaries and thus being out on the street. And so we accept a lot of bullshit jobs, get sick of work, and drag ourselves through the day to finally enjoy our evening or work toward retirement.
This is not necessary in a country like the Netherlands and in the times we live in today. Together we can ensure that everyone in this country is provided with the basics to live. How? Provide lower taxes on labor and increase taxes on technology and data. Since people and technology are an organization’s capital, we should treat them equally; only then will a people-oriented economy emerge in which we reward people’s values and harness their potential.
With this, work must also change to contributions. How nice would it be if you leave in the morning and say, “dear, I am going to add my value today” Surely feels less like having to and more like appreciation.
