Give People Money: How A Universal Basic Income Would End Poverty, Revolutionize Work, And Remake The World

by Annie Lowrey

Pub 2019-02-01 CITIC Publishing Group CITIC Publishing House Imagine if the government would deposit $1.000 into your bank account every month and would not ask for any return. This sounds a bit crazy. but it has become one of the policies that have an influential and discussion* in our time. Futurists. radicals. liberals...

321 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Annie Lowrey is a contributing editor for The Atlantic. A former writer for the New York Times, the New York Times Magazine, and Slate, among other publications, she is a frequent guest on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. Lowrey lives in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie Lowrey scientifically worked her plan in several countries finding success in a myriad of ways. Unfortunately, with our political polarization and actual disfunction in our government, this idea will be waiting a long time for testing the country. $1000 a month for every person is perhaps already extended to the COVID people with so far as many of us are concerned a lifesaver.

Pakistan and poverty are a perfect trial country. The greed, laziness, and self-centered attitudes are not somethings America advocates. As an elder, I recall the 50s and 60s when we were willing workers, trusting the system mostly, proud of the many technical advancements in space and the industrial segment. Somehow we have slipped our values so far we are losing equality in all areas.
Universal Basic Income is totally advantageous. The fear of the right of socialism and how society has become numbed by the buy now pay much later if at all.

Give me Annie's idea on a smaller easier community to handle. It is the ultimate of our high hopes in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It brings to mind, "High Hopes"

[Savannah Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If rising productivity, yawning inequality, and mass joblessness do come about due to advances in Al and other related technologies, the world will need to make a choice about how to support human livelihoods and ensure equal participation in the economy and society. Yet if rising productivity, yawning inequality, and mass joblessness do come about, a UBI would not be enough, as those science fiction shows and that old economics text show. A broader change in our understanding of worth and compensation, of work and labor, would also be necessary. The neoliberal values of free markets, unfettered competition, and economic growth as the primary arbiters of human progress would need to change. Leisure, comfort, and care would need to become essential to the workings of society rather than being supportive or incidental” (pg 208).

[Abby Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book really interesting and a great start into learning more about UBI. I think the most important part of this book was bringing attention to the fact that our work is going to keep on changing with the rapid improvement of technology and we need to be prepared how to handle that economically. As someone who works in manufacturing, I see this first hand and I think these improvements are good and shouldn’t make us afraid but it does mean we will have to be open minded on how to adjust how we see work and money in order to keep people from falling below the poverty line. I would recommend this book to anyone who can vote who is currently living in the US.

[Emma Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting

[Hope Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nerdy heart really enjoyed this book, the arguments it presented and the personality of the author that sprung through. I really enjoyed the energy the quotes and notes. I learned a lot about about my own childhood, “man in the house rule” was incredibly insightful. Excellent read and I believe it can happen, we can make the shift, jump leap to a place where we all have value and for more than just our labour.