Basic citizen income—genius idea the UK will never adopt

Our conclusion has to be that every mainstream political ideology generates arguments for a citizen’s income. Arguments against are more generic, and are not generated by political ideologies themselves, and are easily answered. There are many convincing arguments in favour of a Citizen’s Income—Dr Malcolm Torry

Very true. Imagine implementing a policy that made work a rational choice for everybody, regardless of their income, status or age, rid unemployment of its ruinous consequences, improved the psychical health of the nation, allowed people to work around their family life and put an end to the vilification of the unemployed.

If you’re neoliberally inclined, your arguments for repealing employment protection laws would at least seem fairer (a la Denmark).

You’d also shut Jamie Oliver up.

And yet it’ll never happen in the UK, because ideology (mainstream or otherwise) and our attitude to work aren’t rational.

What is the British attitude to work, benefits and reward? There’s an element of masochism (that positively enjoys working in unfair circumstances), offset by a vengeful moralism (the division of the fellow fucked–over poor into deserving and undeserving categories) and a morbid fascination with property as a moral reward for this suffering – even though owning a house has very little to do with hard work. All irrational, illiberal and self defeating, and totally at odds with an unconditional basic income.