Universal Basic Income
UBI and BLM
Over the last few days, I’ve had multiple conversations with police officers (mostly women or people of color) asking for their thoughts on the protests. I kept getting a similar response: “I became a cop so I could protect my community and be one of the good ones.” One even told me that he was the subject of police brutality, and vowed to become a cop to put more “good eggs” in the department.
I listened, then asked, “is there anything you can do about the bad eggs?”, to which each smiled defeatedly. They explained that they could intervene if they see injustice, but there’s not much they can do otherwise. And they’re just following orders to be at these protests.
I’ve been thinking and researching, and I agree that all cops are complicit in a racist policing and prison industrial system. But how can we ever communicate this to cops who see themselves as part of the solution?
I think we must align incentives. To me, this means:
Ensuring job security. With defunding the police, we must assure each officer that they will still have a living. This could be a UBI or retraining for positions in social services.
Target those who are making decisions and commanding officers. Of course a police officer will follow orders when their job is on the line— you do shit every day in your jobs that you don’t agree with.
Real policy proposals, education, and patient conversations to undo years of accepting things as they are. Backed up by every day people taking to the streets to underscore its importance.
Incrementalism doesn’t work here, but empathy will.
UBI and Meaningful Work
Bernie Sanders is a critic of UBI, saying that having paid, meaningful work is crucial to the dignity of people. I think this is very true for many people, including myself. If you imagine having all of your living expenses covered, would you still work? I would, but I also know many people who wouldn’t, and instead would make art all day. That is how they create human energy.
I think UBI should also come with the option to do paid, meaningful work that is beneficial to society: constructing public transportation, social work, environmental protection, etc. I’m very curious to read any theorists or economists who have explored this topic further!