Michael A. Lewis
Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College
A recent post, by Nathan Keeble, which appears on the Mises Institutes website is titled The Dangers of a Universal Basic Income. The main danger seems to be that a basic income (Im paraphrasing) would provide non-productive people with an income they would not have to work for. Non-productive in this context isnt synonymous with lazy, shiftless, or anything like that.
The non-productive among us could be very busy writing poetry, composing music, playing it, or engaging in other pursuits. What makes one non-productive isnt a lack of effort or initiative but the lack of a market for their goods or services. That is, if you create or produce something no one wants to buy, youre non-productive. The problem with a basic income is that it would subsidize such activities. According to the Mises article, this is bad because it would allow people to continue such non-productive pursuits, instead of trying to figure out how to do something thered be a market for. The result, Keeble writes, is that a society with a basic income would be less productive and experience a lower level of social welfare than a society without one.
I think this is a questionable line of reasoning because its based on the shaky assumption that the market is the sole determinant of whats productive. If someone wants to buy your good or service, youre productive; if not, youre not. This is an extremely narrow view.
Consider folks whore currently employed in factories that make cigarettes, firearms, sugary snacks, or alcoholic beverages. There are huge markets for all of these activities. But if a basic income were enacted, folks working in the above industries reduced their labor supply, and this resulted in a decrease in the production of cigarettes, handguns, Twinkies, and liquors; its not clear to me this would amount to a net reduction in social welfare. This is because theres evidence that all these goods contribute to serious public health problems. And if people spent less time producing cigarettes and more time making art, even if there werent markets for their work, this might amount to a net increase in social welfare.
What does or doesnt contribute to net changes in social welfare is far too complex to be reduced to what people are willing to buy in the marketplace.
About the author:Michael A. Lewis is a social worker and sociologist by training whose areas of interest are public policy and quantitative methods. Hes also a co-founder of USBIG and has written a number of articles, book chapters, and other pieces on the basic income, including the co-edited work The Ethics and Economics of the Basic Income Guarantee. Lewis is on the faculties of the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the Graduate and University Center of the City University of New York.
Image: Mises Crest By ConcordeMandalorian Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31860282
Michael Lewis has written 2 articles.
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A response to 'The dangers of a basic income' - Basic Income News
- Income inequality in the United States - Wikipedia - January 5th, 2017 [January 5th, 2017]
- Basic Income as All-inclusive Democratic Subsidy - Basic Income News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Basic income is superior to the job guarantee - Basic Income News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- CANADA: Over 10000 people have signed to support Basic Income - Basic Income News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Ebay founder backs universal basic income test with $500000 pledge - Mashable - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- OPINION: Human rights, basic needs - The Guardian - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Left-Wing America Steps Up Calls For Free Money, Jobs Guarantee - Daily Caller - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Guaranteed basic income proposed. - Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- World Economic Forum blog: Canada's basic income experiment will it work? - Basic Income News - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Expert: We Can Have Universal Basic Income and Jobs - Futurism - Futurism - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Ben Wray: Why both the right to work and the right not to work can set us free - CommonSpace - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- VIDEO: Basic Income presentation at Meeting of the Minds Summit - Basic Income News - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Australia Needs A Universal Basic Income, And We Should Start ... - Huffington Post Australia - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- A guaranteed income isn't the solution to widespread unemployment - Acton Institute (blog) - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Industry body bats for universal basic income for women - Times of India - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Basic Income in Argentine News - Basic Income News - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Basic-income guarantee is way to end poverty - Times Colonist - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Letters: Guaranteed income guarantees sloth - The Province - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Universal basic income: guarantee pay as way to improve quality of life - WatertownDailyTimes.com - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- About That Universal Basic Income Idea - FITSNews - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Basic income plan doable: Northern study - The Sudbury Star - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Study of Iran's basic income shows it did not harm employment - Basic Income News - June 7th, 2017 [June 7th, 2017]
- Should all Americans receive a guaranteed income? - First Coast News - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Should all Americans receive a guaranteed income? - KPNX 12 News TV - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Should all Americans receive a guaranteed income? - 9NEWS.com - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Should all Americans receive a guaranteed income? - KHOU - June 24th, 2017 [June 24th, 2017]
- Net incomes under a Basic Income system - Basic Income News - July 1st, 2017 [July 1st, 2017]
- Basic Income Guarantee program moving forward for 2000 Lindsay residents - Kawartha Media Group - July 8th, 2017 [July 8th, 2017]
- UBI is just a bedtime story Elon Musk tells himself to help the super-wealthy sleep - Quartz - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]
- NDP leadership candidate visits Guelph (8 photos) - GuelphToday - July 18th, 2017 [July 18th, 2017]
- Does Basic Income Solve Anything? Grasp the Arguments for and ... - Futurism - July 21st, 2017 [July 21st, 2017]
- Value in using tax system for basic income: Report - The Sudbury Star - July 21st, 2017 [July 21st, 2017]
- NEW ORLEANS, LA, US: Local basic income group begins to hold monthly meetings - Basic Income News - July 25th, 2017 [July 25th, 2017]
- More Calgarians struggle to feed their families over the summer months - CBC.ca - July 26th, 2017 [July 26th, 2017]
- Renfrew County dietitian recognized by board of health for provincial award - www.insideottawavalley.com/ - July 27th, 2017 [July 27th, 2017]
- EDITORIAL: Island needs dollars, not data, to cope with poverty - The Guardian - July 29th, 2017 [July 29th, 2017]
- DON PRIDMORE: Be careful what you wish for... - The Guardian - August 1st, 2017 [August 1st, 2017]
- Is a Well-Paying Job the next Entitlement Program? - Big Think (blog) - August 5th, 2017 [August 5th, 2017]
- Let's talk about a supplemental income - The Hindu - August 7th, 2017 [August 7th, 2017]
- Universal basic income proponent to speak in Boise - Idaho Press-Tribune - August 7th, 2017 [August 7th, 2017]
- Hashtag Trending Battery-free phone, Apple's China backlash - IT World Canada - August 10th, 2017 [August 10th, 2017]
- New Zealand Fabians host Basic Income panel - Basic Income News - August 13th, 2017 [August 13th, 2017]
- Universal Basic Infrastructure to help decrease India's poverty - Economic Times - August 14th, 2017 [August 14th, 2017]
- After lifting minimum wage, NDP government prepares to consult public about reducing poverty - Straight.com - August 16th, 2017 [August 16th, 2017]
- How Cities Can Rebuild the Social Safety Net - CityLab - August 24th, 2017 [August 24th, 2017]
- Food shopping at dollar stores | Brantford Expositor - Brantford Expositor - August 24th, 2017 [August 24th, 2017]
- 'Me too' and the basic income guarantee | Basic Income News - February 6th, 2018 [February 6th, 2018]
- Basic Income Now | It's time for dignity for all - March 17th, 2018 [March 17th, 2018]
- Is a Basic Income Guarantee the Right Choice for Ontario? - June 27th, 2018 [June 27th, 2018]
- The Ethics and Economics of the Basic Income Guarantee ... - September 18th, 2018 [September 18th, 2018]
- Basic Income Guarantee - Your Right to Economic Security ... - November 8th, 2018 [November 8th, 2018]
- Basic income could end food insecurity - Upstream - January 3rd, 2019 [January 3rd, 2019]
- 'Hartz reforms': how a benefits shakeup changed Germany ... - January 28th, 2019 [January 28th, 2019]
- Quick notes from Basic Income Guarantee Panel - falicon.com - January 28th, 2019 [January 28th, 2019]
- New book reviews the Namibian Basic Income pilot - Basic Income News - October 1st, 2019 [October 1st, 2019]
- Democrats focus on some Midwestern issues at Westerville debate, a departure from past three forums - cleveland.com - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- Assembly Elections 2019: Why is the Congress evasive about NYAY scheme this poll season? - Moneycontrol.com - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- Letter to the Editor: Universal basic income is inevitable as we head toward a fully automated society - The Post - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- Democratic debate highlights: best and most substantive answers of the night - Vox.com - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- Sanders: 'Damn right we will' have a job for every American | TheHill - The Hill - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- 'Most Americans Don't Want To Work for the Federal Government' Says Andrew Yang, Trashing Federal Jobs Guarantee - Reason - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- Basic Income as 40 Acres and a Mule - Basic Income News - October 16th, 2019 [October 16th, 2019]
- WAYNE YOUNG: Island voices must be heard - The Guardian - December 15th, 2019 [December 15th, 2019]
- The Guardian view on Finlands new PM: a different type of leadership - The Guardian - December 15th, 2019 [December 15th, 2019]
- 5 Psychological Forces That Turn People into Political Hacks | Aaron Pomerantz - Foundation for Economic Education - January 13th, 2020 [January 13th, 2020]
- P.E.I. groups say basic Income should not replace addictions, other supports - The Journal Pioneer - January 27th, 2020 [January 27th, 2020]
- Trump to let states overhaul Medicaid for the poor, seeking to change Obamacare without legislation - Washington Examiner - January 30th, 2020 [January 30th, 2020]
- Find ways to improve the revenue of farmers: Congress - The Hindu - January 30th, 2020 [January 30th, 2020]
- Eliminating Child Poverty With a Government Check - The New York Times - January 30th, 2020 [January 30th, 2020]
- Andrew Yang Expects 'Many' of His Supporters to Back Sanders in Iowa: We 'Have a Lot of Overlap' - Newsweek - January 30th, 2020 [January 30th, 2020]
- Life, Liberty, and Basic Income | Opinion - Harvard Crimson - February 29th, 2020 [February 29th, 2020]
- Lockdown to fight coronavirus is going to hit most Indian workers very hard - Livemint - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- Beware of a lopsided lockdown - The Hindu - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- We face a war against coronavirus and must mobilise accordingly | Free to read - Financial Times - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- Coronavirus: Iain Duncan Smith says dont bring in universal basic income during pandemic as it would be disincentive to work - The Independent - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- Solidarity Economicsfor the Coronavirus Crisis and Beyond - The American Prospect - March 26th, 2020 [March 26th, 2020]
- I've lived through plenty of social shocks this time we must learn the lessons - The Guardian - March 31st, 2020 [March 31st, 2020]
- Common Arguments Against Basic Income Don't apply to the Emergency BI - Basic Income News - March 31st, 2020 [March 31st, 2020]
- How a Basic Income And Jobs Guarantee Can Save The Economy From Coronavirus - The National Interest - March 31st, 2020 [March 31st, 2020]
- Starvation in the time of Corona: momentum for the Universal Basic Dividend - DiEM25 - May 9th, 2020 [May 9th, 2020]