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ChristianKl comments on Open Thread June 6 - June 12, 2016 - Less Wrong Discussion

4 Post author: Elo 06 June 2016 04:21AM

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Comment author: ChristianKl 14 June 2016 03:28:40PM *  0 points [-]

The generally-agreed rationale of UBI is that growing use of automation might eventually make it hard for people without skills to support themselves even by working, at least for broadly reasonable working hours and conditions.

Various people support UBI for different reasons. It's not true that nobody in Germany calls for UBI. You might personal oppose UBI in a country like Germany but that doesn't mean that other don't want it.

Milton Friedman also wasn't concered about growing use of automation when he proposed UBI as negative taxation.

Comment deleted 14 June 2016 03:52:55PM *  [-]
Comment author: Lumifer 14 June 2016 04:05:45PM *  2 points [-]

Milton Friedman's negative-tax proposal was intended to replace the "War on Poverty" policies, which in turn were enacted out of a genuine fear that the poorest would be unable to support themselves.

Huh? As far as I know, the "War on Poverty" policies weren't motivated by the fear that the poorest will be unable to support themselves (after all, they managed to do so throughout all the preceding times). They were motivated by the optimism and can-do attitude -- the economy was growing very well, the middle class was booming, the progress towards the shining future was inevitable, so the Federal government should help the less fortunate get on the shining-future bus.

Comment author: ChristianKl 14 June 2016 03:59:35PM *  0 points [-]

What we see in Germany is mostly the latter, and is thus of little practical consequence.

One of the most influential politicians in favor of UBI in Germany is Dieter Althaus from the CDU (the right). I also don't think it makes sense to see billionaire Götz Werner as wanting to give his consituents free money for votes.

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