Anti-Wage-Slavery, Pro-Freedom Quotations 199-201

China has largely failed to generate new jobs: an endemic feature of neoliberalism. Indeed, a 2004 study by Alliance Capital Management reported that manufacturing jobs are being eliminated faster in China than in any other country. Between 1995 and 2002, China lost more than 15 million factory jobs: 15 per cent of its total manufacturing workforce. (Jeremy Rifkin, 'Return of a Conundrum', The Guardian, March 2, 2004.
…
"Suddenly the number of Chinese who live below the World Bank's poverty line of a dollar a day jumped from about 100 million to 300 million." That is the same size as the entire population of the United States.
from
'Creative Destruction' -
The Madness Of The Global Economy - Part 2
By David Cromwell
ZNet Commentary
February 16, 2008





Now, just think of this: A basic income policy can change that for the first time in our history. It can ensure every Canadian has a living – regardless of age, gender, region or income level. It can mean that we live up to our commitment to the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights: " ... everyone has a right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family ..."

But don't be alarmed that this would really be one big boondoggle. The program will be self-funding through the tax system, this basic income being added to whatever else a person is receiving as salary, wages, pension, dividends or anything else.

So, before you throw your hands up in amazement that anything as "far out" as this can be recommended by otherwise rational people, just face one fact: In principle, we are already doing this with one segment of the population. All Canadians, aged 65 and over, are entitled to the Old Age Security Pension. And it's taxable so that seniors receiving above a certain income can find all or part of it "clawed back." If that works with part of society, what makes it unworkable with the rest?
…
…this method can be more efficient than what we are doing. Not only can it rid Canada of poverty, it can do it in a cost-effective way because it can require far less administration than the multitude of social work-driven programs – plus their professional fundraisers – we now pay for. mmm

… it will actually add to the economy because the money people receive will be spent on goods and services that keep Canadians working. If you think that's "voodoo economics," just ask why just last week, the U.S. Congress broke all legislative speed records to approve a multi-billion dollar program to revive the economy and avert a recession. That's what a Canadian basic income policy would do all year, every year.
An income for all Canadians
Reginald Stackhouse
Toronto star
Feb 17, 2008 04:30 AM

The only lasting remedy, other than for Americans to accept a lower standard of living and for businesses to adjust to a smaller economy, is to give middle- and lower-income Americans more buying power — and not just temporarily.
Totally Spent
By ROBERT B. REICH
New York Times
Published: February 13, 2008