64. Politics  always leads to compromises that make our lives worse, not better

   65. Under the name of a UBI, we are introducing very different policies

   66. Others will benefit from UBI, rather than those who really need it

 

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64. Politics  always leads to compromises that make our lives worse, not better

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Explanation

 

Political decision-making always leads to watery compromises that make us worse rather than better.

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Refutation

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Unfortunately, the recent history of politics in the Netherlands (and probably beyond) provides much support for this objection.

However, this is no reason to give up on an ideal in advance.

When the time is almost ripe and politicians are burying their heads in the sand, supporters of the basic income must be on the front line. Compromises may be acceptable as an interim step, not if it can be demonstrated from the outset that everything will go wrong in the event of a poorly implemented compromise. 

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65. Under the name of UBI, we introduce very different policies

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Explanation

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We are introducing something completely different under the name Basic Income.

Even in the current debate, this is already happening, for example in municipal experiments with low-regulatory assistance, participation income, conditional basic income, basic work, basic jobs.

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Refutation

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Here the only thing that can be done is to be vigilant.

A Basic Income is a Basic Income only if it meets the four criteria of universality, individuality, unconditionality, and amount. See here for further explanation (in Dutch).

It may be interesting to take an intermediate step towards implementation that does not meet all the criteria. 

 

Experiments in this direction can also be interesting.

But it's only a basic income when it really is!

And as long as that is not the case, it must continue to be made clear at appropriate times!

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66. Others will benefit from UBI, rather than those who really need it

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Explanation

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The benefits of basic income will to a large extent accrue to people other than those for whom it is actually intended. Employers will reduce wages, the government will shift paid work to volunteers, bureaucrats will devise new overhead costs.

 

Refutation

 

Here, too, alertness is required.

Any change attracts enterprising types who want to take advantage of benefits that are not meant for them. This can be partly prevented by doing good research with simulations and by exploring beforehand what might go wrong, in order to respond if possible in advance.

This is difficult in practice: politicians who do not want to take something into account often have advisory bodies that provide for new plans to have fewer desired side effects.

In the event of such a major change as the introduction of a basic income, the maximum possible effect must be achieved.