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Thread: Dutch city of Utrecht to experiment with a universal, unconditional 'basic income'

  1. #1

    Dutch city of Utrecht to experiment with a universal, unconditional 'basic income'

    The Dutch city of Utrecht will start an experiment which hopes to determine whether society works effectively with universal, unconditional income introduced.

    The city has paired up with the local university to establish whether the concept of 'basic income' can work in real life, and plans to begin the experiment at the end of the summer holidays.

    Basic income is a universal, unconditional form of payment to individuals, which covers their living costs. The concept is to allow people to choose to work more flexible hours in a less regimented society, allowing more time for care, volunteering and study.

    The Dutch city of Utrecht will start an experiment which hopes to determine whether society works effectively with universal, unconditional income introduced.

    ...
    Continued...
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-10345595.html
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  3. #2
    300,000 people...

    Fairly young population.

    This might work there.

    I don't see it as much different than our system of free $#@! in the US.

  4. #3
    Oh $#@!, why can't it be the Belgians or some other country that experiments with this.

    (It has been a lot in the news cycle (over the past year or so, this experiment is new to me), 'the people' think it's a great idea.. Free money, f*ck yeah )
    "I am a bird"

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by luctor-et-emergo View Post
    Oh $#@!, why can't it be the Belgians or some other country that experiments with this.

    (It has been a lot in the news cycle (over the past year or so, this experiment is new to me), 'the people' think it's a great idea.. Free money, f*ck yeah )
    Just look at all the fine contributions to innovation and liberty that have sprung forth from the free-money alcoves in the US....

  6. #5

    Thumbs up Bull$#@! jobs !

    Let's not forget about #bullshitjobs

    https://twitter.com/hashtag/bullshitjobs


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  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by tod evans View Post
    That population will quadruple once word gets out.

  8. #7
    Whether this is sustainable or not will depend on how much is doled out. They could give everyone $1 and nothing would happen, but to give everybody $1000 could end up being a problem.
    No more IRS.
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  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by 2young2vote View Post
    Whether this is sustainable or not will depend on how much is doled out. They could give everyone $1 and nothing would happen, but to give everybody $1000 could end up being a problem.
    Who's paying for it again ?

    And why would this do anything else than inflate prices ? (which is scary since I don't think this inflation will be seen as strongly when it's just one city doing the experiment, they might conclude that it works.)
    "I am a bird"



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  11. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by luctor-et-emergo View Post
    Who's paying for it again ?

    And why would this do anything else than inflate prices ? (which is scary since I don't think this inflation will be seen as strongly when it's just one city doing the experiment, they might conclude that it works.)
    Who's been paying for it for the past 45 years? Not sure what is going on in the Nederlands, but it will be interesting to see how long it can continue.

    Perhaps the hashish-tourism cash is keeping them afloat. They are so small and the niche so high-dollar, it is not inconceivable. I wonder where the Dutch have stood, politically, WRT global decriminalization of such things. Are they for it, of agin'it? I'd almost expect the latter, since continued prohibition would maintain their position in a very high-value market... Sort of like Thailand and sex-tourism, I would expect.
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  12. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by osan View Post
    Who's been paying for it for the past 45 years? Not sure what is going on in the Nederlands, but it will be interesting to see how long it can continue.

    Perhaps the hashish-tourism cash is keeping them afloat. They are so small and the niche so high-dollar, it is not inconceivable. I wonder where the Dutch have stood, politically, WRT global decriminalization of such things. Are they for it, of agin'it? I'd almost expect the latter, since continued prohibition would maintain their position in a very high-value market... Sort of like Thailand and sex-tourism, I would expect.
    Who's been paying for it ? Everyone with an income. Kind of obvious.


    WRT decriminalization, lots of people are in favor of this, lots of politicians even. Then when you get to the politicians that are in power... They all use the UN treaties as cop-outs, they simply say, we can't legalize/regulate because the UN stops us from doing that.. That's one thing you can say about the Netherlands, politicians here LOVE international entities such as the EU or UN.. Not because they believe what these institutions are doing is good but because they are excellent bodies to blame their own failures on.

    The problem is that politicians are trying to mould the economy into a 'knowledge based economy'. They seriously think that putting as many people through university as possible will create a more wealthy society. Problem is, this is all paid for with public money... And in a country with high taxes where do the people with this knowledge go ? Right, elsewhere. So essentially this is some kind of weird foreign aid the Dutch tax payers are paying for. In politics here, they really think this is a good idea.
    "I am a bird"

  13. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by luctor-et-emergo View Post
    Who's been paying for it ? Everyone with an income. Kind of obvious.


    WRT decriminalization, lots of people are in favor of this, lots of politicians even. Then when you get to the politicians that are in power... They all use the UN treaties as cop-outs, they simply say, we can't legalize/regulate because the UN stops us from doing that.. That's one thing you can say about the Netherlands, politicians here LOVE international entities such as the EU or UN.. Not because they believe what these institutions are doing is good but because they are excellent bodies to blame their own failures on.

    The problem is that politicians are trying to mould the economy into a 'knowledge based economy'. They seriously think that putting as many people through university as possible will create a more wealthy society. Problem is, this is all paid for with public money... And in a country with high taxes where do the people with this knowledge go ? Right, elsewhere. So essentially this is some kind of weird foreign aid the Dutch tax payers are paying for. In politics here, they really think this is a good idea.
    Philosophers don't build or grow squat.

    "University" might teach job skills theoretically but in reality what you can hold in your hand at the end of the day is what matters.

    It only takes 1 doctor to service 1000 folks who work, 1 Philosopher for every 1M who work and even less for politicians and kops....

    Today's society is more concerned with nonproductive "employment" than actually creating anything....

  14. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by tod evans View Post
    Philosophers don't build or grow squat.

    "University" might teach job skills theoretically but in reality what you can hold in your hand at the end of the day is what matters.

    It only takes 1 doctor to service 1000 folks who work, 1 Philosopher for every 1M who work and even less for politicians and kops....

    Today's society is more concerned with nonproductive "employment" than actually creating anything....
    Correct



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