If we assume the best in people, we can radically redesign our democracy and welfare states.
Rutger BregmanRead
I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of power. So the cleaners and bin men would have a lot more bargaining power.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Basic income redistributes wealth and empowers workers.
Rutger Bregman emphasizes that basic income is not merely about providing people with a financial safety net; it also serves to redistribute power dynamics within society. By ensuring that individuals, particularly those in lower-paying jobs like cleaners and waste collectors, receive a basic income, it enhances their ability to negotiate better wages and working conditions, fundamentally altering the balance of power in the labor market.
Themes
Basic IncomePowerRedistributionWorkersBargaining Power
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting discussing economic reforms, one could reference this quote to highlight the importance of empowering workers.
More from Rutger Bregman
All quotes →Since long workdays lead to more errors, shorter workdays could reduce accidents. Overtime is deadly. Tired surgeons have been found to be more prone to slip'ups, and soldiers who get too little shuteye are more prone to miss targets.
Rutger BregmanRead
My hope is that the corona crisis will help bring us into a new age of cooperation and solidarity and a realization that we're in this together.
Rutger BregmanRead
This is what a crisis does: It makes you question the status quo. That doesn't mean that after a crisis we move into some kind of utopia. But it is an opportunity for political change.
Rutger BregmanRead
While it won't solve all the world's ills - and ideas such as a rent cap and more social housing are necessary in places where housing is scarce - a basic income would work like venture capital for the people.
Rutger BregmanRead
Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and generals. That we can trust people to govern themselves and make their own decisions.
Rutger BregmanRead
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