Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by therealdrag0 2237 days ago
Can you elaborate. What would politicians do if they understood virtu?
1 comments

End unemployment permanently in the USA, Stephanie Kelton style.

Which would then force capitalists to compete for labour driving wages growth and productivity. Once the threat of unemployment is lifted, Uber, et al can be allowed free rein and the magic of capitalism will rapidly deliver a more effective transport system (for example).

"But what about the jobs" is about protecting the old and staid from disruption by the new and vigourous.

I like the idea of a guaranteed jobs program.

Has this ever been tried? Any studies on it?

The UK Universal Credit system requires that you spend 35 hours a week looking for jobs that in aggregate cannot exist.

Pakistan is hiring unemployed labourers to plant trees.

Argentina had the Jefes programme.

If you look you'll find that "guaranteed jobs" are generally already there as part of the stabilisation process. They're just not very good, don't pay enough to live on and aren't available to all - which is what is required to make them work effectively as an automatic stabiliser.

And of course that is because the current regimes want an unemployment buffer to drive down wages at the low end.