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This book is Karl Widerquist's first statement of the
"indepentarian" theory of justice, or what he calls "Justice as the
Pursuit of Accord" (JPA). It provides five arguments for UBI, one
based on the JPA theory of freedom, another based on the JPA theory
of property, and three that reply to common objections to UBI. Each
of these three turns the argument around using the central concepts
in a justification for UBI. Although the central argument is for
one specific policy proposal, this book's perspective is much
wider, including very basic criticism of social-contract-based and
natural-rights-based theories of justice.
This book debunks three false claims commonly accepted by
contemporary political philosophers regarding property systems:
that inequality is natural, inevitable, or incompatible with
freedom; that capitalism is more consistent with negative freedom
than any other conceivable economic system; and that the normative
principles of appropriation and voluntary transfer applied in the
world in which we live support a capitalist system with strong,
individualist and unequal private property rights. The authors
review the history of the use and importance of these claims in
philosophy, and use thorough anthropological and historical
evidence to refute them. They show that societies with
common-property systems maintaining strong equality and extensive
freedom were initially nearly ubiquitous around the world, and that
the private property rights system was established through a long
series of violent state-sponsored aggressions.
Governments in the US, the UK and other nations around the world
routinely consider and, in some cases, experiment with reforms of
their income support systems. The basic income guarantee, a
universal unconditional income grant, has received increasing
attention from scholars as an alternative to the kinds of reforms
that have been implemented. This book explores the political,
sociological, economic, and philosophical issues of the basic
income guarantee. Tracing the history of the idea, from its origins
in the late eighteenth century through its political vogue in the
1970s, when the Family Assistance Plan narrowly missed passage in
the US Congress, it also examines the philosophical debate over the
issue. The book is designed to foster a climate of ideas amongst
those specifically interested in the income support policies and
more widely for those concerned with public, welfare and labour
economics. Its coverage will enable readers to obtain an in depth
grounding in the topic, regardless of their position in the debate.
Is a Universal Basic Income the answer to an increasingly
precarious job landscape? Could it bring greater financial freedom
for women, tackle the issue of unpaid but essential work, cut
poverty and promote greater choice? Or is it a dead-end utopian
ideal that distracts from more practical and cost-effective
solutions? Contributors from musician Brian Eno, think tank Demos
Helsinki, innovators such as California's Y Combinator Research and
prominent academics such as Peter Beresford OBE offer a variety of
perspectives from across the globe on the politics and feasibility
of basic income. Sharing research and insights from a variety of
nations - including India, Finland, Uganda, Brazil and Canada - the
collection provides a comprehensive guide to the impact this
innovative idea could have on work, welfare and inequality in the
21st century.
Examining the origin and development of the private property rights
system from prehistory to the present day This book debunks three
false claims commonly accepted by contemporary political
philosophers regarding property systems: that inequality is
natural, inevitable, or incompatible with freedom; that capitalism
is more consistent with negative freedom than any other conceivable
economic system; and that the normative principles of appropriation
and voluntary transfer applied in the world in which we live
support a capitalist system with strong, individualist and unequal
private property rights. The authors review the history of the use
and importance of these claims in philosophy, and use thorough
anthropological and historical evidence to refute them. They show
that societies with common-property systems maintaining strong
equality and extensive freedom were initially nearly ubiquitous
around the world, and that the private property rights system was
established through a long series of violent state-sponsored
aggressions.
At least six different Universal Basic Income (UBI) experiments are
underway or planned right now in the United States, Canada, the
United Kingdom, Finland, and Kenya. Several more countries are
considering conducting experiments. Yet, there seems to be more
interest simply in having UBI experiments than in exactly what we
want to learn from them. Although experiments can produce a lot of
relevant data about UBI, they are crucially limited in their
ability to enlighten our understanding of the big questions that
bear on the discussion of whether to implement UBI as a national or
regional policy. And, past experience shows that results of UBI
experiments are particularly vulnerable misunderstanding,
sensationalism, and spin. This book examines the difficulties of
conducting a UBI experiment and reporting the results in ways that
successfully improve public understanding of the probable effects
of a national UBI. The book makes recommendations how researchers,
reporters, citizens, and policymakers can avoid these problems and
get the most out of UBI experiments.
How modern philosophers use and perpetuate myths about prehistory
The state of nature, the origin of property, the origin of
government, the primordial nature of inequality and war - why do
political philosophers talk so much about the Stone Age? And are
they talking about a Stone Age that really happened, or is it just
a convenient thought experiment to illustrate their points? Karl
Widerquist and Grant S. McCall take a philosophical look at the
origin of civilisation, examining political theories to show how
claims about prehistory are used. Drawing on the best available
evidence from archaeology and anthropology, they show that much of
what we think we know about human origins comes from philosophers'
imagination, not scientific investigation. Key Features Shows how
modern political theories employ ambiguous factual claims about
prehistory Brings archaeological and anthropological evidence to
bear on those claims Tells the story of human origins in a way that
reveals many commonly held misconceptions
How modern philosophers use and perpetuate myths about prehistory
The state of nature, the origin of property, the origin of
government, the primordial nature of inequality and war - why do
political philosophers talk so much about the Stone Age? And are
they talking about a Stone Age that really happened, or is it just
a convenient thought experiment to illustrate their points? Karl
Widerquist and Grant S. McCall take a philosophical look at the
origin of civilisation, examining political theories to show how
claims about prehistory are used. Drawing on the best available
evidence from archaeology and anthropology, they show that much of
what we think we know about human origins comes from philosophers'
imagination, not scientific investigation. Key Features Shows how
modern political theories employ ambiguous factual claims about
prehistory Brings archaeological and anthropological evidence to
bear on those claims Tells the story of human origins in a way that
reveals many commonly held misconceptions
"Economics for Social Workers: The Application of Economic Theory
to Social Policy and the Human Services" is designed to provide a
working knowledge of economics with clarity and attention to the
concerns of the social work profession. This primer for social work
students introduces the general definitions and concepts of
economic theory and uses case studies in social work to develop
applied understanding. The case studies include stories of job
training, substance abuse centers, counseling, therapy, child
protective services, and services for the poor. The concluding
chapters are devoted to topics directly related to social work:
economics of poverty, health economics, household economics, the
economics of labor, and government fiscal policy. The dominance of
economics in social policy debates means that advocates of policies
must demonstrate at least a basic understanding of the economic
aspects of their proposals if they want to be considered credible
participants. Economics for Social Workers is a unique resource
that effectively meets this need.
"Economics for Social Workers: The Application of Economic Theory
to Social Policy and the Human Services" is designed to provide a
working knowledge of economics with clarity and attention to the
concerns of the social work profession. This primer for social work
students introduces the general definitions and concepts of
economic theory and uses case studies in social work to develop
applied understanding. The case studies include stories of job
training, substance abuse centers, counseling, therapy, child
protective services, and services for the poor. The concluding
chapters are devoted to topics directly related to social work:
economics of poverty, health economics, household economics, the
economics of labor, and government fiscal policy. The dominance of
economics in social policy debates means that advocates of policies
must demonstrate at least a basic understanding of the economic
aspects of their proposals if they want to be considered credible
participants. Economics for Social Workers is a unique resource
that effectively meets this need.
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