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I'd prefer dropping wealth distribution from the discussion and focus not because I disagree with it, but because 1. I'm already sold, 2. it's trivially implemented (technically if not politically), and 3. it tends, as evidenced here in another thread, to generate predictable and unproductive discussion. Actually, I'll go a step or two further and suggest that a mix of rentier taxes (land and other monopolistic elements) and income supports (UBI, living minimum wage, additional targeted support as needed), workplace and labour protections, collective bargaining, are almost certainly required. UBI without LVT merely pumps wages to landlords. Similar further arguments extend to otther elements above. But that leaves us with the fundamental issue remaining: natural clustering tendencies of many economic activitties, particularly dematerialised ones ("informattion work") tend toward clusteering (where skills are scarce) or outsourcing to the lowest-wage centre (where skill is automated away). All other areas are effectively dead zones. (In-person services, repair, and construction remain, but these are poorly-scaling, low-profit sectors.) That's the dynamic I see as needing addressing. And UBI + LVT don't get you there, that I see. Any insights there? |